Local Man Faces Charges After ‘Violent’ Domestic Dispute
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Robert Moore
Herald Staff
rmoore@harrodsburgherald.com
A Harrodsburg man faces charges for assaulting a member of his family last week. Police say they were able to peacefully resolve what they termed as a domestic violence situation involving a firearm.
At 3:51 a.m. on Thursday, June 29, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a family member about a domestic dispute involving a weapon at a home on Heritage Woods Way.
According to the complaint warrant, Zane K. Bugg, 28, of Harrodsburg, arrived intoxicated and began “firing rounds off into the ceiling and the front of the house with a rifle.”
Sheriff Ernie Kelty said they were told Bugg was sitting in the front yard of the home with an assault rifle waiting for the police to arrive. However, when the sheriff and several deputies reached the scene, they found the home apparently empty.
“The parents had left the home,” Kelty said. “They were out behind the house in a field.”
But the deputies didn’t know that at that time.
“We didn’t know exactly where they were and we didn’t know where he was,” Kelty said.
The sheriff’s office called in the Kentucky State Police for assistance. They also used their drone to locate the parents and then made sure they were safe, but they still could not find Bugg, who had apparently left with several weapons.
The victim, who is not being identified, told the deputies Bugg entered the home and found the victim sitting in a recliner, “extended the bayonet section from the end of a SKS rifle” and began stabbing the victim in the left leg, left hip and once in the rear, according to the complaint warrant.
Bugg pointed the rifle at the victim and demanded he stick his hands in the air, according to the complaint warrant.
“I should beat you to death with my fist,” the victim said Bugg told him in the complaint warrant. “I should shoot you in the head.”
Deputies observed injuries consistent with the victim’s statement, according to the complaint warrant. They also located empty 5.56 and 223 casings on the front porch.
Still attempting to find Bugg, the sheriff’s office called the Lexington Police Department, who sent in their air support unit. They also began pinging Bugg’s phone, finding he was somewhere near Heritage Woods Way and Dry Branch Road.
Kelty and deputies returned to the residence.
“I noticed there was a light on that wasn’t on when we’d left,” he said.
Determining Bugg was in the house, Kelty and another deputy who knew Bugg began talking to the suspect, trying to convince him to give himself up.
“He came out with his hands up and surrendered,” Kelty said.
Bugg has been charged with 1st degree wanton endangerment, 2nd degree assault (minor injury), 3rd degree terroristic threatening and violating a Kentucky EPO/DVO. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Monday, July 3. A defense attorney was appointed for Bugg, who will return to court on Monday, July 10. His bail was set at $15,000.
Sheriff Kelty said he was happy with the resolution to the tense situation.
“It all ended peacefully and nobody was hurt,” Kelty said.
Dep. Patrick McMullin (MCSO) was the arresting officer, with support from the sheriff and fellow deputies, the Harrodsburg Police Department, the Kentucky State Police and the Lexington Police Department.
