Explosive device blows up in man’s hand after he allegedly tries to kill two Spencer County deputies
LOUISVILLE, Ky. May 25 2017 Police say a Mount Eden, Kentucky, man has been arrested days after he tried to kill two sheriff’s deputies — and a homemade explosive device blew up in his hand.
According to an arrest warrant, it happened on Tuesday, May 16. Police say someone called 911 to report that there had been an explosion in a home in the 4200 block of Briar Ridge Road, just north of Taylorsville Lake.
Police say that home was the residence of 54-year-old David Allen Blake.
A neighbor who lives up the road from Blake said he heard the initial explosion while he was out walking his dog.
“That first one … it was a doozy!” Michael Redmon said. “I’ve heard Fort Knox out there practicing. This was louder than anything at Fort Knox, I’m telling ya!”
About fifteen minutes later, Redmon said he saw a police cruiser drive up the road.
When Spencer County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived, they asked Blake to come out of the house, but he refused. At that point, two sheriff’s deputies spoke with Blake through the front window.
That’s when, police say, Blake pulled a handgun and fired rounds in the direction of both deputies.
Neither deputy was injured, and the Kentucky State Police was contacted. Police say it was soon determined that there were homemade explosive devices in the home with Blake.
According to Trooper Bernis Napier, spokesperson for Kentucky State Police, the state police Special Response Team and Hazardous Devices Team were called to the home.
Trooper Napier says that at some point while police were on the scene, another explosion was heard. Napier says one of the homemade explosive devices detonated in Blake’s hand, and his hand was severely mutilated.
Blake was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Redmon said he didn’t know anything about Blake, but he was glad no one was killed in the situation. He said neighbors were still talking about the explosions and commotion over the weekend.
“It jarred the ground I was walking on,” Redmon said. “And my grandson was in the house and he came running out and asked what happened. And I said I think someone set a bomb off or dropped a bomb or something. I mean, it was heard for miles around here.”
A warrant was issued for his arrest on Friday, May 19. That warrant was served on Saturday, May 20. Blake has been charged with two counts of attempted murder of a police officer, for allegedly firing rounds at the Spencer County Sheriff’s Office deputies. He is currently being held in the Shelby County Detention Center.
Trooper Napier says the investigation is still in the preliminary stages and it’s not clear if Blake will face additional charges. Napier could not say how many devices were taken from Blake’s home. But he said all the evidence is being tested at a lab.
WDRB
