Local Man Charged With Strangulation

Harrodsburg Man Threatens Police In Second Incident

Matthew Haggard. (Image: Boyle County Detention Center.)

Robert Moore
Herald Staff
rmoore@harrodsburgherald.com

A local man is back in jail on charges including strangulation and assault on a police officer after a domestic dispute last week. It’s the second time this year the man has threatened a policeman, according to court documents.

On Wednesday, March 30, at approximately 9:09 p.m., officers from the Harrodsburg Police Department responded to a domestic dispute complaint at 819 North College Street.

According to the uniform citation, the officers found the victim sitting in her vehicle in the parking lot. She told police that Matthew Keith Haggard, 35, of Harrodsburg, “had grabbed her around the neck and choked her to a point where she could not breathe and then slammed her onto the ground.”

According to the uniform citation, there was “visible redness” around the neck of the victim, who was “crying and fearful.”

At least three witnesses at the scene verified the victim’s account, saying they had seen her gasping for breath, according to the uniform citation.

While police were interviewing the victim, Haggard approached “in a very aggressive manner,” according to the uniform citation.

HPD Patrolman Chase Hale ordered Haggard to place his hands behind his back. When Hale tried to handcuff Haggard, he tried to pull his hands free, according to the uniform citation.

While handcuffed, Haggard kicked Hale’s cruiser, according to the uniform citation. Hale and another officer, Patrolman Isaac Shelton, had to take Haggard “to the ground in order to finally gain control,” according to the uniform citation.

Once in the cruiser, Haggard began kicking the windows and cage “in an attempt to escape,” according to the uniform citation. Haggard told Hale that he was going to punch the officer in the face and that “when he got out of jail he was going to find me off duty,” according to the uniform citation.

On the way to Boyle County Detention Center, Haggard continued to kick the windows and threatening Hale, at one point slipping out of his seat belt and spitting through the cage on the back of Hale’s neck, according to the uniform citation.

At the jail, Haggard attempted to attack Hale but was restrained by jail staff, according to the citation.

Haggard was arrested and charged with 1st degree strangulation, resisting arrest, 3rd degree terroristic threatening, 3rd degree assault on a police officer using a communicable bodily fluid and 2nd degree escape.

Haggard was also served with a warrant for 2nd degree burglary.

Haggard has been taken into custody at least 15 times since 2004, according the BCDC website. It was not his first run in with Hale.

On Tuesday, Feb. 1, Haggard was caught on surveillance footage “unlawfully entering” a dwelling and carrying “items to his vehicle,” according to the uniform citation.

While en route to jail, Haggard, who was handcuffed, attempted to kick out the partition in the squad car, called Hale a “punk bitch” among other vulgarities, and tried to spit on Hale.

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