LPD Officer strikes utility pole en route to what was thought to be a child run over by a vehicle call

dsc_0106-2
dsc_0106-2

Saturday night at approximately 10:15, the Leitchfield Police Department, Grayson County Sheriff’s Office and EMS responded to 1563 Sunbeam Road on the report of a mother running over her son.

While en route and in emergency mode, Leitchfield PD Officer Joe Overton was traveling on Hendricks Street when he failed to make the right turn from Hendricks onto Sunbeam Road. He left the roadway and struck a utility pole.

He was uninjured in the accident.

Instead of finding a child run over by a car, upon Deputy DJ Newton arriving, he discovered an inebriated man who ran in front of his mother as she pulled into a driveway.

According to Dep. Newton’s arrest report, he says that upon arriving at the residence, “It was determined that 25-year-old Thomas Paul was staying at a residence next door to this location, and was reportedly being ‘beat up’ there often.”

Paul’s mother, Hope Paul, came to the  residence to check on him, and after doing so, she went to the residence next door to ensure the door was locked (Hope Paul owns the property but does not reside there).

Thomas Paul followed his mother to the home, and after Hope Paul made sure the door was locked, she got in her vehicle to leave. At this time, Thomas Paul, “Tore the sliding glass out of the front door,” according to the arrest report, and began to run after his mother in the roadway.

Hope Paul returned to the driveway of the residence, with Thomas Paul stepping in front of the vehicle, resulting in Hope Paul striking her son, causing him to fall backwards.

Dep. Newton said that Thomas Paul, who was unhurt, had “an obvious odor of alcoholic beverage emitting from his person, blood shot eyes, and was unable to stand on his own.”

According to the report, Thomas Paul displayed a .283 breath alcohol concentration, and “presented a danger to himself and others.”

He was arrested and transported by Dep. Newton to Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center for medical clearance and then to the Grayson County Detention Center where he was charged with alcohol intoxication.

Thomas Paul (photo courtesy of the Kentucky Department of Corrections)

By Ken Howlett, News Director

Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000