More charges filed against man accused of shooting police officer

UPDATE 5/12/22 @ 10:35 p.m.

BOYD COUNTY and GREENUP COUNTY, Ky. (WSAZ) - More charges have been filed against a man accused of shooting a Flatwoods Police officer early this month, Kentucky State Police said Thursday.

Jonathan Smithers, 41, of Catlettsburg, now faces the following additional charges: attempted murder of a police officer, two counts of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, first-degree unlawful imprisonment, second-degree assault (domestic violence), and 10 counts of possession of matter portraying sexual performance by a minor under age 12.

Smithers is accused of shooting Flatwoods Officer Tommy Robinson, who was hospitalized for his injuries.

A pre-trial date has been set for June 16. Smithers is in the Boyd County Detention Center on a $500,000 cash bond.

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ORIGINAL STORY 5/5/22

BOYD COUNTY and GREENUP COUNTY, Ky. (WSAZ) -- A man accused of shooting a Flatwoods Police officer was arraigned on outstanding warrants Thursday in Boyd County.

Jonathan Smithers, 41, of Catlettsburg, pleaded not guilty to possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor under 12 years of age and promotion of sex performance by a minor under 16 years of age.

Officials say those outstanding warrants were from the Ashland Police Department.

Boyd County Commonwealth Attorney Rhonda Copley says the first charge is punishable by 5 to 10 years, while the second is punishable by 10 to 20 years behind bars.

A pre-trial date was set for June 16.

Smithers is in the Boyd County Detention Center on a $500,000 cash bond.

“We went ahead and lodged him in the Boyd County Jail, so that gives us more time for thorough investigation, and we can get more warrants on him for an attempted murder on a police officer,” KSP Trooper Shane Goodall said. “It’s also for his safety to put it in Boyd County, where he injured a Greenup County officer, we put him in a Greenup County Jail. Some of the inmates there may put him at risk of getting injured.”

Greenup County Attorney Mike Wilson says more charges are likely to come in connection to the shooting that injured Flatwoods Officer Tommy Robinson.

Wednesday, Kentucky State Police, along with other assisting agencies, combed Flatwoods in search of evidence in connection to the shooting of Officer Robinson.

Police search for evidence after officer was shot in the neck

Agencies tell WSAZ.com some evidence was recovered.

Officer Robinson was shot Monday morning around 2:30 in the 100 block of East Street in Flatwoods.

Kentucky State Police say the Flatwoods Police Department officer was responding to a 911 call of a suspicious person at the time of the shooting.

Officer Robinson sustained a severe injury to his neck.

“He’s working toward retirement,” Goodall said. “He’s almost at the time where he can retire and unfortunately an incident like this almost took his life.”

A few hours after the shooting, Smithers was arrested after he was spotted by a Kentucky State Trooper near a Dollar General store.

Trooper Shane Goodall with Kentucky State Police tells WSAZ.com that officer Robinson had a second surgery to clean the wound but is listed as stable. He also says officer Robinson has been taken off the ventilator.

Copley says it’s extremely important to them Smithers stays behind bars given his history. She says it’s possible for Smithers to have charges in both counties playing out in court at the same time.

Kentucky State Police tell WSAZ Smithers has lawyered up and refuses to speak with investigators.

For more previous coverage of this investigation >>> CLICK HERE.

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