BRUSHY FORK & PAINTSVILLE – A Magoffin County woman arrested in a misdemeanor case last week is now facing more serious charges after an alleged altercation at the jail.
According to the original arrest citation, Magoffin County Sheriff Bill Meade responded to a call on Brushy Fork, in Magoffin, on March 9, which led to the arrest of Angel Gipson, 43, of May Branch in Salyersville, who was charged with first-degree criminal trespassing and public intoxication of a controlled substance (excludes alcohol).
She was taken to the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center and just a few hours after her arrest Johnson County Sheriff Department was called in regard to an assault of a correctional officer.
According to the second arrest citation, Johnson County Deputy J. Castle reviewed the security camera footage that showed the attack, noting that he saw the correctional officer go into the cell carrying a blanket and as she opened the door, Gipson reportedly tried to exit the cell. The officer held her back and tried to retrieve the chemical spray on her belt, but Gipson was able to get out of the cell and started attacking the officer. Gipson reportedly struck the officer several times in the head and face before grabbing her by the throat and starting to strangle her. The officer was able to deploy her chemical spray, however, Gipson continued to fight until another officer arrived to assist, with the officers able to get control of Gipson and place her back into the cell.
After the assault, Gipson was also charged with third-degree assault of a police or probation officer and first-degree strangulation, making her a defendant in a felony-level Johnson County case, as well as the misdemeanor case in Magoffin.
Gipson is currently being held at the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 15 (status unknown at press time) in the felony case and a pretrial conference scheduled for March 20 at 9:15 a.m. for the Magoffin County misdemeanor case.
Editor’s Note: The indictment or charge of a person by a grand jury or otherwise is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
