From The News Journal -
A Gray woman was charged with robbery after she allegedly hit a man in the face after he stopped her from leaving the scene with his car keys and cigarettes that had been taken from his vehicle.
Barbourville Police arrested Pamela Wilder, 36, Thursday night after the victim called 911.
According to the arrest citation, the victim, identified in the arrest citation as Edward Landaw, had left his keys and cigarettes inside his vehicle while eating at Burger King.
Another customer reported seeing a woman, later identified as Wilder, getting into his vehicle, and when he checked his vehicle, he noticed his cigarettes missing.
Landlaw approached Wilder, who was carrying a laundry basket containing several items including what, he told police, were his cigarettes.
“Victim stated he then walked back into Burger King and remembered he had left the keys to his vehicle inside of it,” police stated in the arrest citation. “When he went out to get the keys he found them to be missing also.”
Landaw again located Wilder and asked about the keys, which she denied having.
“Victim then called 911 and the above (Wilder) attempted to get into another vehicle and leave,” police wrote. “Victim stated he got in front of the above (Wilder) to keep her from leaving and that’s when the above (Wilder) started striking the victim in the face causing lacerations above the eye.”
“When officers approached the vehicle, the driver stated she did not know the above female (Wilder) and that she was only trying to help end the situation,” officers stated.
The owner of the second vehicle gave police consent to search the vehicle. Landaw described his keychain as a small cloth purse type key chain. It was located between passenger seat and center console where Wilder was sitting.
As an officer was attempting to search, Wilder allegedly grabbed his hand and pushed his hand away.
“Above (Wilder) stated she did not know how the keys got there,” officers stated adding the that the driver told them Landaw had never been inside her vehicle.
Wilder was charged with second-degree robbery, resisting arrest, and second-degree disorderly conduct and lodged in the Knox County Detention Center.
Wilder is being held on a $25,000 cash bond.
Under Kentucky law, second-degree robbery is a Class C felony, carrying a potential prison sentence of five to ten years.