WV KNIFE AND GUN CLUB - Highway Workers Discover Body Parts, Ambulance Worker Stabbed, Suicide By Cop

(04/12/2012)
AMBULANCE WORKER STABBED - Frankie Stroup, Jr., 25, of Nicholas County is in jail after allegedly stabbing an ambulance worker and then stealing the ambulance.

Stroup stabbed a Quinwood Ambulance EMS worker with a pair of scissors and then allegedly took off in the ambulance and drove a short distance before wrecking it.

Stroup is being held in the Central Regional Jail on $20,000 bail, charged with malicious wounding, grand larceny and felony destruction of property.

The injured ambulance worker is identified as Ryan Sparks, 23, of Richwood.

SUICIDE BY COP - Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford and Kanawha County prosecutor Mark Plants said a Cross Lanes man told family members he would harm police if they did not shoot him.

South Charleston police shot and killed Tommy Gene Ransbottom II, 40, Tuesday morning after he allegedly pointed a gun at them.

Ransbottom refused to surrender and then pointed a gun at two South Charleston officers.

Ransbottom got out of his car and screamed at police before getting back into the car and retrieving a .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol, Rutherford said.

His sister, who lives in Missouri, pleaded with Ransbottom on the phone to drop his gun, but he told her he intended to die.

Rutherford said the South Charleston officers showed restraint and did not shoot until Ransbottom pointed the gun in a way that indicated he was about to fire.

DISCOVERED BODY PARTS LIKELY MASON WOMAN - Kanawha and Putnam county authorities are investigating near the border between Putnam and Mason counties after the discovery of human remains.

A Division of Highways crew discovered a human leg and a foot in Putnam County.

Police say they believe the remains may be those of Carol Rhim, who was killed in her boyfriend's home in January.

Nathaniel Roy Lawton, 54, of Institute, killed Carol Rhim, 53, carved up her body on Jan. 17 in the bathtub of the apartment he shared with Rhim and his elderly mother.

Lawton shot himself as deputies were getting ready to search his house.

Rhim's head and hands were found in the trunk of Lawton's car, but the rest of her body was not found.

HUNTINGTON HOME INVASION - Huntington Police are investigating a home invasion that happened Tuesday by two masked men.

One of the robbers struck a young man in the face with his gun and then fired a shot, the bullet went through a window striking a car outside.

They stole money from the four people inside and smashed their cell phones to prevent a 911 call.