PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A Mingo County woman who is accused of brutally attacking a Pike County woman back in December has been ordered to undergo a psychiatric examination.

Angel Joy Hunt, 29, of Wharncliffe, is charged with attempted murder, first-degree assault, first-degree strangulation, third-degree arson and two counts of tampering with physical evidence.

The investigation began when a woman was found lying on a bench outside of a burning house at Freeburn. The woman had multiple cuts, bruises and burns, and police say her eyes were swollen shut and she was bleeding from her ears.

When the woman awoke in the hospital three days later, she was able to tell police that Hunt allegedly tied her hands behind her back, choked her with her hands and put her toes inside an Amish heater. She said Hunt also punched her, stomped on her, and broke glass across her back. She said Hunt then set a fire in the living room and left.

Hunt appeared in court last week for a hearing. On Monday, Pike Circuit Judge Eddy Coleman issued an order directing her to undergo an evaluation by the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center to determine if she is competent to stand trial. In the event she is found incompetent, the judge asks examiners to then determine if there is a substantial probability that she will become competent in the foreseeable future.

Judge Coleman also set the next hearing in the case for Oct. 7.

The post Psychiatric exam ordered for woman charged with violent attack appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Following Friday’s announcement that the City of Pikeville is currently in negotiations with MD Squared Energy over that company’s proposal to build a $250 million data center in the city’s Kentucky Enterprise Industrial Park, the two men running to be Pikeville’s next mayor have issued statements about where they stand on the issue.

Those statements are reprinted below.

BOB SHURTLEFF

As many of you have seen, the Pikeville City Commission has entered into an agreement to explore the possibility of a data center at the Industrial Park – well away from residential areas.

This agreement does not approve a project. It simply allows us to gather information, ask questions, hear public concerns, and determine whether it would be in Pikeville’s best interest.

As both a City Commissioner and a candidate for Mayor, I want to be clear about where I stand.

There are two issues that are non-negotiable for me:

1. If a project would increase electric rates for Pikeville residents, I will not support it. I will oppose it.

2. If a project relies on a water-cooling system that places a burden on our water treatment or distribution infrastructure, I will not support it. I will oppose it. Any proposal must utilize a closed-loop system.

These are my biggest concerns, as well as concerns I’ve heard the most from citizens, and they are understandable.

In addition, if a company promises 40 jobs and fails to deliver, there should be accountability. I will advocate for provisions requiring the value of those unfilled positions to be paid and invested back into our community.

I want transparency and public involvement. That is why the City issued a public media release in the early stages of these discussions. I want citizens to have the facts and ask the tough questions.

Exploring an opportunity does not mean accepting it. We will examine every option for creating jobs and growing our economy in a way that protects Pikeville.

STEVE HARTSOCK

My Public Statement on the Proposed Data Center:

First and foremost, Pikeville has been my home my entire life. It is both an honor and a privilege to serve as a City Commissioner and to be a candidate for Mayor of this great city. I take seriously the trust that the citizens of Pikeville place in me, and I am proud to help make decisions that impact our community and our daily lives.

If there is one thing the people of Pikeville can always count on, it is that I will consistently put the best interests of our city and its citizens first. With that said, as many of you know, the City has to communicate with MD Squared LLC and has entered into a preliminary agreement to explore and better understand what a data center of this magnitude could potentially bring to our community.

As the City has already announced, no property has been transferred and nothing has been sold. MD Squared LLC, the developer, and the City of Pikeville have a 120-day period to communicate, negotiate, and determine whether this project is the right fit for all parties involved.

I understand the concerns many people have regarding the possibility of a data center in our region. I share some of those concerns and have several important questions that I believe must be answered before any final decision is made.

One promise I will always keep as a City Commissioner and mayoral candidate is this: I will always be a voice for the people, and I will never compromise the future of our beautiful city. The citizens of Pikeville will always come first.

Some of the key questions I want answered include:

• Electricity Costs: One of my primary concerns is ensuring that the data center and its operators are responsible for purchasing the electricity they require and that the financial burden is not passed on to the citizens of Pikeville through higher utility rates.

• Water Usage and Cooling Systems: I want a clear understanding of the cooling systems that would be used at the facility. Data centers utilize different cooling methods, and I want to ensure that our water resources can adequately support any proposed operation.

• Wastewater and Environmental Impact: I want detailed information regarding wastewater management. Will the cooling systems recirculate water, or will they require a constant supply of fresh water? Will any wastewater be discharged, and if so, where? Most importantly, I want to understand any potential environmental impacts on our rivers, streams, and surrounding ecosystem.

• Job Creation and Accountability: We have been told the project could bring approximately 190 construction jobs and 40 full-time positions. Those are significant commitments, and I believe the company should be held accountable for meeting those projections. If promises are made, there should be mechanisms in place to ensure they are fulfilled.

A $250 million investment in our community would certainly be significant and could provide meaningful economic opportunities. However, I want to be clear: I will never place financial gain ahead of the safety, health, and well-being of our citizens.

The creation of 40 full-time jobs, especially if they offer competitive wages and benefits, would not only support 40 individuals but also 40 families. Job opportunities are desperately needed in our region, and our industrial park was designed to attract businesses that can create employment and economic growth. Opportunities like these could also help keep our younger generations here at home, allowing them to build careers and raise families in Pikeville.

Before I can support any proposal, I want a full understanding of both the benefits and the potential drawbacks. I want clear answers regarding water usage, wastewater management, environmental impacts, and how AEP can provide the necessary power without increasing costs for our residents.

Like many of you, I still have questions. I approach this process with an open mind and a commitment to gathering all the facts before making any decision. Above all else, I will continue to put the interests of the citizens of Pikeville first.

Thank you for taking the time to read this statement and for staying engaged in the future of our community.

The post Pikeville mayoral candidates issue statements on proposed data center appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

MARTIN, Ky. — Police say a Pike County man went to a Floyd County auto dealer and took a test drive nearly two years ago, then kept on driving.

James Anthony Snell, 53, of Kimper, is now charged with a single count of auto theft.

Police say he went to BRC Auto Sales on Route 80 at Martin on August 31, 2024, and took a 2011 Jeep Compass out for a test drive and never returned.

He was finally arrested just before noon Saturday, after he was pulled over by a state trooper for cracked windshield. He was not driving the Jeep at the time of the traffic stop.

Snell now faces up to five years in prison, if he is convicted.

The post Pike man accused of stealing Jeep from Floyd auto lot appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

PIKEVILLE — The City of Pikeville has entered into a preliminary agreement with a Lexington-based developer to explore the possibility of building a large-scale data center at the Kentucky Enterprise Industrial Park.

City officials announced Friday that they signed a Memorandum of Understanding with MD Squared Power LLC on April 20, establishing a 120-day period for exclusive negotiations while both sides determine whether a final development agreement is feasible.

The city emphasized that the agreement does not transfer any land, commit either side to specific terms, or guarantee that the project will move forward. Once the 120-day period expires, either party can end negotiations without penalty.

According to the developer’s proposal, the project’s initial phase would represent more than $250 million in capital investment and could create more than 190 construction jobs and 40 permanent full-time positions with wages above the Pike County median household income. City officials say those projections will be independently reviewed before any final decision is made.

According to U.S. Census Bureau figures from 2024, the annual median household income for Pike County is $44,312.

MD Squared Power describes the proposed facility as an initial deployment of approximately 25 to 30 megawatts of computing capacity, with the potential to expand to between 75 and 100 megawatts if additional power becomes available.

According to the Secretary of State’s Office, MD Squared Power was organized in 2024 as M&D 2526 Realty in 2024. It amended its articles of organization in Feburary to change the company’s name to MD Squared Power. It’s managing member and only listed officer is Ben DeVary.

Mayor Jimmy Carter said the city has a responsibility to carefully evaluate opportunities that could bring jobs and investment to the region while protecting taxpayers and public resources.

As part of its review, the Pikeville City Commission is seeking independent legal counsel and plans to commission economic and site analyses to evaluate whether a data center is the best use of the industrial park, which has been developed over more than a decade using local, state and federal investments.

The city says it is also examining potential impacts on utility rates, water usage, environmental concerns, tax revenues and future job creation commitments. Officials stressed that any final agreement would need enforceable provisions to ensure promised jobs and economic benefits are delivered.

City Manager Reggie Hickman said many of the questions being raised by residents about data centers are the same questions city officials are already evaluating as part of the review process.

The Kentucky Enterprise Industrial Park is a 190-acre development owned by the city. It currently hosts two businesses and includes a state-certified Build-Ready site completed in 2024.

Before the City Commission considers any final development agreement, officials say the complete terms will be made available for public review and any vote will take place during a public meeting.

A Gallup Poll released last month indicates 71 percent of Americans are opposed to data centers in their communities, with 48 percent of respondents saying they are “strongly opposed.” Half of those saying they are opposed data centers cite their effect on local resources, such as water usage and power consumption.

A fact sheet about the data center review was provided by the city. It and a copy of the memorandum of understanding are printed below:

The post Pikeville reviewing developer’s proposal for data center at Ky. Enterprise Industrial Park appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

ASHCAMP, Ky. — A Pike County man has been arrested after he allegedly went to a campground and moved in to the owner’s camper.

A state trooper was called Wednesday evening to the Elkhorn Riders’ Retreat, at Ashcamp, over a report that a man had broken into a camper, then left on foot.

A short time later, police found the man, identified as Billy Thomas, 45, whose last address was listed as the Veterans Transitional Housing Center on Douglas Parkway.

Police say Thomas used a knife to break into a camper where the campground’s owner stays on the weekend, opened the awning, and was staying in it like he owned it. Residents told police Thomas also took a stack of CDs from the camper and gave them to one of the residents, tried to get into another camper, and sold a resident firewood, but never delivered the wood despite being paid for it.

Thomas was arrested and charged with second-degree burglary, theft, possession of burglar’s tools, criminal mischief and public intoxication. He is currently being held in the Pike County jail.

The post Pike man charged with breaking into campground owner’s camper appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A man who was arrested a month ago for opening fire in a Pikeville bar has now been indicted, although the grand jury dropped one of the charges.

Brian Dylan Johnson, 27, of Beaver, was arrested May 3 at Klarissa’s Bar, after he allegedly shot another man at the bar in the leg. At that time, he was charged with attempted murder, first-degree assault, first-degree wanton endangerment and possession of a loaded gun where alcoholic beverages are sold.

On Tuesday, a grand jury dropped the attempted murder charge and indicted him on the remaining charges.

The assault charge is the most serious, punishable by 10-to-20 years in prison.

Johnson continues to be held in the Pike County jail on a $500,000 cash bond.

The post Grand jury issues indictment in bar shooting, but drops attempted murder charge appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A Pike County grand jury has returned indictments against three people in a pair of unrelated sex offense cases.

In the first case, Chester Brian Adkins and Suetta Adkins are charged with two counts of first-degree sex abuse for incidents spanning from 2021 to this year. Chester Adkins is also charged with two counts of incest and two counts of third-degree sodomy in 2017 and 2018.

The incest charges are the most serious, carrying a potential penalty of 20-to-50 years or life in prison. The remaining charges are each punishable by up to five years in prison.

In the other case, Gordon Ellis Looney II, 44, of Sidney, has been charged with one count of first-degree sexual abuse involving a child under 16. That charge is punishable by up to five years in prison.

There is no record of any of the defendants currently being in custody.

The post Grand jury returns indictments in two sex offense cases appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

PRESTONSBURG and ASHLAND, Ky. — A Pikeville woman is facing charges involving two stolen cars in Boyd and Floyd counties.

Krystal Stone, 33, of Pikeville, was arrested May 28 in Boyd County, after leading police on a chase in a stolen car back and forth along U.S. 23 in Boyd and Lawrence counties, at speeds exceeding 100 mph.

The police report notes Stone repeatedly made sudden U-turns, until the car she was driving became stuck in the median on the last attempt. That prompted a foot chase that allegedly ended with a stuggle with officers, during which she allegedly reached for an officer’s gun and had to be tased twice while reportedly saying she was fleeing vampires.

She was arrested on a total of 16 charges, including fleeing police, receiving stolen property and attempt to disarm a peace officer.

Stone is currently being held in the Boyd County Detention Center, which allowed Floyd County authorities to serve her with a warrant for auto theft.

The arrest warrant says she took a car from a gas station, when the owner went inside to pay for gas. The car was later found abandoned in Lawrence County with Stone’s ID inside. The warrant also says Stone threw the victim’s phone out of the window, also earning her a criminal mischief charge.

Stone is currently being held on bonds totaling $21,500.

The post Pike woman charged in auto theft cases from Floyd, Boyd counties appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

MOUTHCARD, Ky. — A Buchanan County man has been arrested after he allegedly crashed his car and fled the scene on foot, leaving four children behind.

Police were called around 7 p.m. Monday, after a small child walked into a store at Mouthcard to say he had been in a wreck and a male was bleeding.

Kentucky State Police found the car on South River Road with four children inside.

Police learned that the driver, identified as Ryan Wilson, 37, of Maxie, Va., had left on foot after the crash. He was found walking about a mile-and-a-half from the wreck.

When questioned about why he had left the scene of the crash, police say he wouldn’t give a straight answer, but said he was nervous and wanted the children to be safe.

After police gave him a ride back to the wreck, they noticed an odor of alcohol, and he told them he had drunk a 16-ounce Bud Light and a 12-ounce Twisted Tea.

Wilson was arrested for DUI, failure to render aid, endanger the welfare of a minor, first-degree wanton endangerment and no license.

The post Buchanan County man arrested for fleeing crash, leaving four children behind appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Pikeville firefighters are being hailed as heroes for going to great lengths — and heights — to rescue a lost dog.

A Pikeville family had been searching for their three dogs who had gotten away from their downtown home. On Saturday, one of the dogs, Luna, was spotted trapped on a cliff overlooking the Pikeville Bypass.

Pikeville Fire Department used its ladder truck to get up to Luna and bring her down safely.

The owner has reportedly been reunited with all three dogs.

The post Pikeville Fire Dept. rescues dog from cliff appeared first on Mountain Top Media.