VANCEBURG — A local man has been indicted on seven counts of attempted murder of a police officer.
On June 13, 2023, Wesley James Cornell, 31, was arrested and charged with wanton endangerment in the first degree of a police officer. The charges appear to have been changed to seven charges of attempted murder of a police officer in the first degree on Aug. 18, 2023.
The official complaint filed through the Lewis County District Court states that on June 12, 2023, at 10 p.m. Kentucky State Police Unit posts 8 and 14 were notified that an Olive Hill police officer had been shot.
Officers responded to investigate and assessed that Cornell was a possible suspect.
Officers located Cornell’s vehicle at 3244 Laurel Creek Road where they tried to talk to Cornell. Cornell refused to speak to officers and was uncompliant.
Cornell returned to his vehicle and traveled to 3470 Laurel Creek Road before he exited the car and retreated to the nearby woods.
Responding officers arrived to set up a perimeter when Cornell took aim and began to shoot at the officers. He appeared to be brandishing a long gun but visibility was limited due to the distance that was between the units and the defendant.
Once the altercation settled, Detective Brad Watson was instructed by Sgt. Eugene Robinson to obtain an arrest warrant for Cornell.
The arrest was carried out on June 13, 2023, at 12:59 a.m.
The official indictment includes seven counts of criminal attempt to commit murder, which is a Class B Felony, by firing a shotgun at law enforcement.
Cornell made attempts on the lives of Sergeant Eugene Robinson, Sergeant Mike Ginn, Trooper Patrick Carlisle, Trooper Leoncio Leal, Sheriff Johnny Bivens, Deputy Corey Harr and Deputy Sam Prater.
A pretrial conference will be held for Cornell on May 5, 2024.