Johnson deputy, perpetrator shot during incident

By Lilly Adkins

BSN Associate Editor

PAINTSVILLE — A Johnson County sheriff’s deputy was shot during an incident that began in Paintsville and ended in Lawrence County last Tuesday, Aug. 17.

Officers with the Paintsville Police Department initiated a traffic stop in Paintsville at approximately 8:50 p.m Aug. 17 that led to Deputy Dennis Hutchinson being shot and the perpetrator being shot multiple times, according to a press release issued by Johnson County Sheriff Doug Saylor.

The traffic stop was initiated against Paul Tipton Jr. within the city limits of Paintsville on Rt. 321, the release said. The chase continued on to U.S. 23 and then onto Rt. 201, where Kentucky State Police and Hutchinson joined in the low-speed pursuit in a support capacity.

The pursuit continued on Rt. 201 and ended approximately one mile inside Lawrence County, where Tipton eventually stopped, the release said.

When approached, during an exchange of gunfire, Hutchinson was struck on the right side of his forehead and was immediately placed in a POV and transported to meet with Paintsville EMS and then directly to Pikeville Medical Center, the release said.

Tipton was shot multiple times and later transported to Three Rivers Medical Center in Louisa before being transferred to Pikeville Medical Center and on to UK Medical Center in Lexington.

The incident is currently being investigated by KSP Post 14 in Ashland.

“I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to the multiple responding agencies that assisted in expediting the transfer of Deputy Hutchinson to receive the much needed medical attention,” Saylor said in the release.