Latest news with #WKYT
New York Post
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Teen lost 3 fingers in a ‘freak' firework mishap — but saved his arm thanks to ‘Forrest Gump'
A Kentucky teen lost three of his fingers in a 'freak' firework accident – but saved his arm using a medical trick he learned from 'Forrest Gump.' Andrew Stratton, 18, told WKYT that he knows he's lucky to be alive after a firework went off prematurely in his left hand while he was hanging with buddies a few days before July Fourth. It blew off his three middle fingers and part of his thumb — but could have been worse if he didn't tie his belt around his arm to slow the bleeding, a trick he learned from a dramatic scene in the 1994 movie in which Tom Hanks plays Forrest Gump. Advertisement 3 He lost fingers and part of his thumb because of the fireworks mishap. WKYT 'Forrest Gump tourniquet Lieutenant Dan's leg so that's what I thought to do, man, just take my belt off, wrap it around my arm as tight as I could,' said the recent high school graduate from Frankfort. Stratton, known as Andi, met friends after his construction job and got out of his car to light the firework that was just handed to him, according to a fundraiser set up by a family friend. Advertisement But the firework exploded within seconds. 'There was no 'horseplaying' or negligence on Andi's part… simply a freak accident,' the fundraiser stated. 'But the damage had already been done; most of Andi's left hand was gone.' 3 He credited an acclaimed 1994 film for saving his arm. GoFundMe Advertisement He also might have lost his eyesight if he weren't wearing his Oakley sunglasses, though some firework debris scratched his corneas from the blast. Video of the stomach-turning accident was taped and then spread across social media. 'You can hear Andy in the background screaming 'somebody help' and all the while somebody is standing there filming him essentially saving his own life because someone decided it was better to videotape it than to help him,' Stratton's mother Shawna Bowman told WKYT. 3 He spent 12 days in the hospital. GoFundMe Advertisement Stratton had a 12-day hospital stay and is still facing the possibility of losing his entire hand. 'Just going to leave it up to God, just going to pray on it,' Stratton told the station.
New York Post
04-07-2025
- New York Post
$167.3M Powerball winner, 50, exposed as a career criminal who spent 30 years in jail before striking it rich: report
The winner of Kentucky's largest lottery jackpot who was arrested in Florida days after claiming his riches has a 16-page rap sheet and decades-long criminal history – earning him a jaw-dropping collection of mug shots along the way. James Shannon Farthing has spent 30 of his 50 years alive behind bars at 25 different correctional intuitions before he, along with his mother and girlfriend, claimed the $167.3 million Powerball jackpot in April, The Smoking Gun reported. The career criminal turned overnight millionaire's has racked up convictions across nine counties in Kentucky for a litany of offenses including strangling a girlfriend, bribing officers while in prison and selling cocaine to an undercover cop, according to the report. Advertisement 4 James Farthing, his mother Linda Grizzle and his girlfriend Jacqueline Fightmaster accepted his Kentucky Lottery win together in April. Kentucky lottery The lowlife's string of consistent crime started when he was just a teenager, with arrests for anything ranging from theft to reckless driving. He was only able to complete 10 years of formal schooling and earned his GED in prison. In his later years, Farthing upped the ante as he started dealing in drugs, even roping his mother in on a scheme to smuggle marijuana into a maximum security facility. Farthing accepted a plea deal that absolved Grizzle and he was sentenced to 10 years, the report said. Advertisement Even in the slammer, Farthing couldn't keep out of trouble. He was frequently placed in 'administrative segregation' after doing things like smuggling a variety of drug and alcohol paraphernalia into the prison and charging inmates to return items he stole from them like a bully on a school playground. 4 Farthing and his mother committed a marijuana smuggling plot together. WKYT The tatted-up criminal was frequently denied parole in part because of his seemingly infinite offenses with few signs of stopping. In the rare cases he was granted parole, he'd lose it just as quickly for violating terms of his release, usually through testing positive for drugs like marijuana. Advertisement Farthing appearance has been well documented in his countless booking photos — showing the transition from his baby-faced clean-shaven days to more recent times sporting a gray goatee and packing on a few extra pounds. And his newfound wealth hasn't stopped his antics. 4 Farthing's rap sheet is 16-pages long. PCSO Three days after cashing in with his 77-year-old mother Linda Grizzle and girlfriend Jacqueline Fightmaster, he was arrested in the Sunshine State after allegedly slugging another guest in the face and kicking a deputy who tried to intervene. Advertisement Farthing also violated his parole when he left Kentucky without notifying his parole officer. He was required to because of his lengthy criminal record. 4 Farthing has been in and out of prison ever since he was a teenager. WKYT Farthing was just freed from a Kentucky jail last week, according to the Kentucky Parole Board, but now has to face the charges from the Florida fight. A sliver of his lottery winnings was put towards his $11,000 bail. He pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for a July 14 arraignment, where he could face up to five years in prison for the remaining battery count on the deputy attack alone.
International Business Times
06-06-2025
- International Business Times
Iowa Woman Fatally Shoots Husband After He Threatened to Hurt Her Dog
An Iowa woman is charged with murder after shooting her husband earlier this week. According to Cedar Falls police, officers responded to a home on Wednesday night to reports of a domestic dispute where someone had been shot. When officers arrived at the scene, they found 72-year-old David Alan Charlton dead. His wife, 66-year-old Kimberly Ann Charlton, was taken into police custody at the scene. Kimberly Told Investigators David Attempted to Assault Her but Her Dog Intervened According to a criminal complaint obtained by WKYT, Kimberly Charlton told investigators that David Charlton had attempted to physically assault her while in a bedroom when the family dog stopped it. Authorities said David Charlton then left the room, equipped himself with a walking cane and returned, threatening to hit the dog. He then followed the dog out the door of the room and down a hallway. Kimberly Said She Shot David in the Back As He Was About to Hit the Dog The complaint stated that as he was walking away from the room, Kimberly Charlton grabbed a gun from a Crown Royal bag and pointed it at his back. Kimberly Charlton told officers that she warned her husband that she was going to shoot him if he did not stop following the dog. The 66-year-old admitted to pulling the trigger and shooting David Charlton in the back, police said. Kimberly Charlton has been charged with first-degree murder, a felony charge that comes with an automatic life sentence in Iowa if convicted.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
At least 14 dead as overnight tornadoes, severe storms tear through Kentucky
South Kentucky RECC posted on Facebook that its Somerset facilities "took a major hit and we are asking the public to avoid the area at this time as we work to assess the damage. The area is not safe." (South Kentucky RECC Facebook page) Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says at least 14 people are dead after tornadoes, wind and hail tore across Kentucky Friday evening into Saturday morning. Beshear said he expects the death toll from the storms to rise. The Southeastern Kentucky cities of London and Somerset appear to be especially hard hit by tornadic damage. Somerset Mayor Alan Keck declared a local state of emergency Saturday morning, and London Mayor Randall Weddle told Lexington TV station WKYT that 'lives have been changed forever here tonight.' Beshear had declared a statewide state of emergency on Friday ahead of the 'dangerous' storm system. Beshear wrote on X that five counties had declared a local state of emergency as well. 'This is another tough morning for Kentucky after a night of deadly weather,' Beshear said in posts on X, mentioning he has spoken with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials. 'The devastation from last night's deadly weather is heartbreaking, but we are going to make sure we get the support needed to recover and rebuild together.' Social media users on Facebook and X posted pictures of what appears to have been a significant overnight tornado in Southeastern Kentucky. South Kentucky RECC, a local electricity cooperative, stated on Facebook that its building in Somerset took a 'major hit.' The London-Corbin airport in Laurel County posted on Facebook drone footage of demolished airport buildings, along with nearby homes sustaining damage as well. Over 90,000 Kentuckians across the state, from west to southeast, had lost power as of Saturday morning, according to the website that compiles power outage data. Beshear said in an X post the Red Cross had available space at First Baptist Church of London and that more information on other shelter space would be shared when available. State lawmakers from the area issued this joint statement from Sen. Brandon Storm, who represents Laurel County, Sen. Rick Girdler, who represents Pulaski County, and Senate President Robert Stivers, who represents multiple southeastern Kentucky counties: 'This is one of the hardest days our communities and region have faced. Lives have been lost. Families have been shattered. Homes and businesses have been destroyed. Sadly, we expect the loss to grow as search and rescue efforts continue. 'The destruction in Laurel and Pulaski counties is overwhelming, but so is the strength of the people who call this place home. Neighbors are already showing up to help one another, and first responders continue working around the clock. 'Local and state officials are working to get immediate help to those in need. If you're looking for a way to help, please do. Every act of kindness makes a difference.'Our hearts are heavy today, but our commitment to helping these communities rebuild is even stronger.' This story may be updated.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Hail, rain, high winds and possible twisters near Somerset rumble into KY
Rounds of severe thunderstorms storms rolled across Kentucky Friday night and into Saturday morning, bringing reports of tornadoes, strong winds, large hail and power outages. As of midnight, no deaths or injuries have been reported. And while early Saturday morning there's been no official confirmation, photos and videos reveal a tornado was observed south of Somerset that was moving south of London as of about 11:45 p.m. More than 131,000 Kentucky electric customers were without power as of about 11:30 p.m., according to In Lexington, there were a few reports of traffic lights out after strong winds moved through. Hail the size of golf balls was reported in some parts of the state. Thousands of lightning strikes were reported across the commonwealth. For a time, all of Kentucky was under a tornado watch Friday night. Central and Eastern Kentucky — along with portions of Ohio, West Virginia and Indiana — were under a tornado watch until 3 a.m. Saturday. The National Weather Service said tornadoes, scattered large hail and widespread wind gusts of up to 80 mph were likely. 'Everything we feared is trying to come together now,' WKYT chief meteorologist Chris Bailey said on-air just after 10 p.m. He said he had been tracking one particular super cell thunderstorm for five or six hours as it roared across Missouri and made its way all the way to Somerset and London, which were under a tornado warning until midnight. Bailey and Meteorologist Jim Caldwell said at least one tornado had been observed in the area south of Somerset headed toward the London area. A flash flood warning was also issued for that area until 4:15 a.m. Meteorologists on The Weather Channel warned of a raucous night of weather throughout the commonwealth, with stormy weather rumbling from Bowling Green all the way to central Ohio. Another wave is expected to blast along the Interstate 64 corridor and affecting Louisville, Lexington and Morehead overnight into early Saturday morning. Kentucky is 'absolutely juiced' for this bad weather, a meteorologist on The Weather Channel said on air at 10:28 p.m., pointing to wind patterns, humidity levels and radar forecasts. Scores of thunderstorm and tornado warnings were issued throughout Kentucky Friday night. Owingsville, Salt Lick and Farmers were under a tornado warning until 10:30 p.m., while Russell Springs, Jamestown and Royville were under a tornado warning until 9:45 p.m. CDT. Tornado and thunderstorm warnings had been issued in some portions of western Kentucky by early evening as the storms moved closer to Central Kentucky. The National Weather Service in Paducah issued a tornado warning until 8:30 p.m. CST for parts of Daviess and Henderson counties, stating 'this is a life threatening situation. Seek shelter now!' Parts of Warren and Barren counties were also under a tornado warning until 8:45 p.m. CST. At 8:10 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning in the area, moving 55 mph. Jeffersontown, Shelbyville and Shepherdsville were under a severe thunderstorm warning until 8:15 p.m. EST, with the National Weather Service in Louisville warning of winds of up to 60 mph and quarter-sized hail. A round of storms that rolled through earlier in the day brought scattered reports of hail and wind damage. Part of the roof of a commercial building that housed several retail shops was blown off in London, said Bryan Johnson, public relations director for the city. As of early Friday evening, Whitley Street in London was still closed as crews worked to clear downed trees and utility poles. Johnson said there were no reports of injuries. There were reports of large hail in several places, including Warren, Ballard, Caldwell and Jackson counties. Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency ahead of the storms Friday afternoon. 'We need everyone to be really careful and make sure you have weather alerts on and are at a location where you can seek safety if needed,' he said.
