BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

PAINTSVILLE — An Inez man arrested in January for allegedly assaulting Johnson County Sheriff Scott Hazlette is facing a formal indictment in connection to the incident.

Casey Spence, 26, was indicted Jan. 26 in Johnson County on charges of third-degree criminal trespassing, resisting arrest, criminal mischief, second-degree assault of a police officer and persistent felony offender.

Spence’s indictment stems from his arrest Jan. 4 on Hilltop Road in Nippa. Sheriff Hazlette and deputies were dispatched on a complaint that a male who appeared to be under the influence was trespassing.

When police were placing Spence under arrest, he allegedly turned and struck the sheriff multiple times in the head. Both the sheriff and Spence fell to the ground, then Spence got on top of the sheriff and had a black object in his hand that the sheriff stated looked like a knife.

The sheriff used pepper spray to get Spence off him. At that point, Spence fled to a nearby garage, where the sheriff caught and arrested him.

The sheriff had a gash on the side of his head and blood running down the side of his head covering his uniform. He drove himself to the Paintsville ARH for treatment.