Man charged in Sunday knife assault

A Winchester man was jailed early Sunday morning for allegedly cutting another man, though he said it was in self defense.

Kim Dearing, 46, of 208 Yorktowne Drive, was jailed for second-degree assault following an incident after midnight Sunday morning near Highland Street. According to the arrest citation, Winchester Police officers found Mark Wooten bleeding heavily from a wound to his left leg. Other officers were then called to Church Alley, where they found Dearing in blood-soaked clothes.

Wooten, who had less serious wounds to his right leg, was flown to the University of Kentucky Medical Center. Winchester Police Capt. James Hall said detectives have not been able to interview Wooten, as of Monday morning, for his account of what happened.

Hall said Wooten might not have survived without first aid from Patrolman Josh Webb until EMS personnel arrived.

“(Webb) most likely helped him survive,” Hall said

Dearing told officers he was assaulted by two men, one of which was Wooten, according to the arrest citation. He said he then followed the two into the alley and called 911 before being assaulted again.

Dearing later told officers he had his knife out but wasn’t aware of cutting anyone. Dearing reportedly told officers if he did cut anyone “they deserved it.”

An independent witness, though, told police he saw Dearing chasing two other men with a knife, Hall said.

So far, police have not located the third person in the incident, but want to interview him as a person of interest.

Dearing is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Clark District Court. According to the Clark County Detention Center website, Dearing’s bond was set at $10,000.

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