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Staff Report

A Loyall man was arrested on Sunday by Harlan City Police following a domestic dispute on Jan. 13, when he allegedly threw a can of ravioli at his girlfriend and fled from the police.

Ernest Roper, 22, faces charges including fleeing or evading police after officers were called to a domestic dispute at Holly Point Apartment.

According to the arrest warrant, Roper fled from officers on Jan. 13 during questioning about a verbal argument with Andrea Truitt at Holly Point Apartments. Roper was unlawfully in the apartment and has been served a no trespassing form from the Holly Point manager and Harlan City Police. The notice is filed at the Harlan City Police station.

The warrant states the apartment was in disarray when officers arrived with furniture tipped over and strewn around the apartment.

Harlan City Police officer Hunter Luttrell said officers could hear screaming when they arrived at the apartment. There was also a red substance covering the walls.

“It looked like blood on the walls. We thought it was. He (Roper) had taken a can of ravioli and thrown it at his girlfriend,” said Luttrell.

Roper escaped custody when he fled on foot while officers gave verbal commands that he stop.

Luttrell said Roper was uncooperative when he was located on Sunday.

“He had run from us once, fleeing from a domestic violence call,” said Luttrell. “We got a warrant on him. We got a tip that he was staying on Possum Hollow Road in Dayhoit. When we got up there he tried to run from us.”

Luttrell said other occupants of the house were acting hostile so they removed Roper from the residence.

“When we got him out of the house he tried to run again,” said Luttrell. “He started kicking and fighting. We finally had to restrain him.”

Roper was lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center and charged with resisting arrest, first- and second-degree fleeing or evading police (on foot), menacing, third-degree assault on a police officer of probation officer, second-degree disorderly conduct, first-degree criminal trespassing and third-degree escape.

Luttrell was assisted by Harlan City Police officers Mike Ashurst and Britt Ross.

In other police activity, the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office conducted several investigations that led to several people arrested on drug charges.

The Harlan County Sheriffs Office gained information about the sell of suspected cocaine in several different areas of Harlan County. Harlan County sheriff’s deputies, along with Harlan City Police Department personnel, executed a search warrant at a residence located at 137 Marsh Street in Sunshine.

Upon searching the residence, officers said marijuana was found and other evidence connected to the cocaine investigation. The investigation led to the seizure of multiple suspected controlled substances including suspected cocaine.

The investigation also led to the arrest of three individuals on various charges. These included:

• Damiano Delaney, 30, of Harlan, on charges of trafficking a controlled substance first-offense and trafficking in marijuana less than 8 ounces. Alford served Delaney with a contempt of court warrant. He was being held in the Harlan County Detention Center in lieu of a $10,000 full cash bond.
• Conley Cotton, 36, of Harlan, on charges of possession of marijuana and tampering with physical evidence. He was lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center in lieu of a $5,000 full cash bond.
• Bobbi Carlisle, 26, of Baxter, was arrested on charges of trafficking a controlled substance and possession of marijuana. Carlisle was lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center of a $10,000 full cash bond.

Deputy Mitch Alford is in charge of the investigation. Assisting at the scene were Sheriff Marvin J. Lipfird, Sgt. Miron Southerland, the canine unit ICE, deputies Danny Lewis, Chris Brewer, Travis Freeman and Matt Cope and Chaplain Chris Hickey. Also assisting were Harlan police Sgt. Mike Boggs and officer Hunter Luttrell.

In unrelated incidents, police reported the following:

* Tara Thomas, 35, of Cawood, was arrested Sunday by Kentucky State Police Trooper Craig Miller on charges of first-degree burglary, second- and fourth-degree assault and third-degree terroristic threatening. Thomas was lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center with a bond set at 10 percent of $10,000;

* James Brock, 28, of New Tazewell, Tenn., was arrested Friday by Cumberland Police Officer Dale Halcomb on a charge of second-degree burglary. Brock was lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center on a $5,000 full cash bond;