Published: October 19, 2009 10:09 am      

W’burg man allegedly beats grandmother, wrecks her car

By Adam S. Sulfridge / Staff Writer

Those inside a Highland Park home were shocked when a young woman arrived at their residence, bleeding from her head and requesting assistance. Police say the woman ran to her neighbor’s home after her husband “severely” assaulted her and his elderly grandmother at 606 Old Corbin Pike Road in Williamsburg.

A little after 5 p.m. Thursday, dispatchers received a 911 call reporting an extreme assault, and just minutes later, dispatchers received another call reporting a single vehicle accident not far from the residence where the assault allegedly took place.

Williamsburg Police Public Affairs Officer Shawn Jackson said K9 Officer Brandon Prewitt was the first to arrive at the residence, where he found the young woman and the elderly woman bleeding from multiple lacerations on their heads. Assistant Chief Rick Mosely responded to the auto accident, where he found 24-year-old William Luther Kirkland inside a totaled vehicle less than a half-mile down the road from where police say he stole it from his grandmother after nearly beating her to death.

In a press release, Jackson noted, “One female stated that the two had been hit several times in the face and head with a weapon.” A metal object, which Jackson said appeared to be “piping,” was found covered in blood at the scene and is believed to be the weapon used by Kirkland.

Both women were transported by Whitley County EMS to Baptist Regional Medical Center. Kirkland’s grandmother’s injuries were feared to be life threatening at the time, and so she was airlifted from the hospital to the University of Kentucky Medical Center.

“They believed the elderly victim’s brain might have been swelling, but I actually just received some good news,” Jackson said. “I’ve been told that she may be released from UK later (Friday) evening.”

Kirkland was also transported to Baptist Regional Medical Center for injuries resulting from the wreck. While fleeing from the scene, he apparently lost control and slammed into a concrete culvert. “It appears that he didn’t even hit his breaks when the vehicle started to leave the roadway, which many people under the influence don’t,” Jackson explained.

Based on information collected during police interviews, Jackson said the confrontation reportedly centered around the grandmother’s refusal to allow Kirkland to borrow her car.

“I think the male subject was under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or both,” Jackson said, “and she refused to give him the keys, and that led to the dispute… afterward, he unlawfully took her car anyway.”

Detective Bobby Freeman traveled to the hospital to continue the investigation, and after doctors cleared Kirkland medically, Freeman transported him to the Whitley County Detention Center. He is charged with first-degree assault, theft by unlawful taking, operating a motor vehicle under the influence, and failure to wear a seatbelt.