LONDON, KY - Laurel County Sheriff John Root is reporting an update on a suspect being sought by the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office.
William Ragen age 39 of Lily, KY was located in the edge of Knox County off KY 830 on Hazel Fork Road by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect was arrested without incident on Wednesday evening.
Sgt Brett Reeves, Captain Richard Dalrymple, and Deputy Allen Turner worked round the clock on this case.
Sgt Reeves took custody of the accused, transporting him back to Laurel County.
William Ragen wasw charged with:
- BURGLARY, 1ST DEGREE
- CRIMINAL MISCHIEF, 1ST DEGREE
This individual is lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center.
Photo of the accused is courtesy of the Laurel County Correctional Center.
Sheriff John Root praised the cooperation between agencies that assisted to help take this individual into custody with a safe resolution for citizens and officers.
See full report below:
PREVIOUS:
Early Wednesday morning Novenber 1, 2023, Laurel Sheriff Sgt. Brett Reeves investigated a complaint of a male subject armed with a machete off Slate Ridge Church Rd. near Lily.
The subject scuffled with Sgt. Reeves and fled on foot into the woods.
Later, the subject allegedly forced entry into an occupied residence off Rocky Branch Rd., approx. 3 miles away, and left while threatening the home occupants with a machete.
Laurel Deputy Allen Turner arrived at the scene and learned the subject fled into the woods.
The Special Response Team was activated and called to the scene. They conducted an extensive search for the suspect in the extremely wooded, remote area.
London Laurel Rescue Squad used a drone with FLIR capability.
Also assisting at the scene was London City Police, London Laurel Rescue Squad, Laurel County Emergency Management, Laurel County DPS, and Ambulance Inc. of Laurel County.
Subject considered armed and dangerous.
