Newton Police Chief officer injured during chase, Police car stolen
A Newton police officer is injured following a shooting and manhunt Wednesday night.
ARIE WILSON
March 26, 2004
NEWTON, NY — Ken Corn probably never thought his last week as police chief in the sleepy town of Newton would be this exciting.
But a fugitive who lobbed objects at officers and stole a patrol car led Corn on a chase that resulted in a fall, landing the officer in the hospital.
Corn is recovering in Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. Corn, who resigned Tuesday from the Newton Police Department citing low pay and few benefits, was scheduled to work until March 31.
Lamon Logue, Newton's assistant chief, was the second officer to respond Wednesday night to a domestic complaint outside the city.
Logue said he was providing backup for Baker County Sheriff's Department deputy Aubrey Suggs around 6:30 p.m. at a residence about nine miles out of Newton on Clear Lake Road.
Police had been alerted to shots fired from a rifle by Kathy Carter, Logue said.
While Suggs tried to talk Carter outside, Logue gained entrance through the rear of the home.
"From what I understand she was supposed to be on medication but wasn't taking it, and she was drinking (alcohol)," Logue said. "I think that's what caused her to lose it."
After both officers entered the home, Carter began throwing objects at them, Logue said.
Carter then barricaded herself inside a bedroom, from which she managed to slip out through a window and steal Logue's police car.
The car was later found in the woods on Carter's property and Carter was spotted heading back to her residence on foot.
It was then that Corn gave chase to Carter on foot. During that chase he tripped on a low-lying fence and fell.
Logue and Suggs apprehended Carter a few moments later at her home.
Carter's two children were at the home during the altercation, but were not injured.
Corn, who was reached by phone Thursday night, said he is being treated for a shoulder injury and broken nose at Phoebe.
He will have an operation today and is expected to be released some time next week.
"I tripped on an electric fence wire around some flower beds in the front yard," Corn said from the hospital. "I knew the break was serious, I just didn't know how bad."
Corn said his shoulder is severely broken and dislocated.
A jail spokeswoman said Thursday night that Carter is still in jail, but that no county charges had been filed. The Newton Police Department is expected to file separate charges.