A Leitchfield man whose residence was recently the site of a wide-ranging investigation into the theft of vehicles and vehicle parts has been accused of assaulting three women in the span of one week.
On Friday night at approximately 10:30, Grayson County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Zane Greer and Sgt. Fred Norder responded to a residence on Maple Drive, in Leitchfield, after a woman reported being assaulted by 37-year-old Randall Coates.
Coates, who had a warrant for his arrest for assaulting a different female about a week earlier, fled the residence prior to law enforcement arriving on scene. Police said Coates assaulted two women at the home, breaking the cheekbone of one of the victims.
Through an investigation Friday evening and into Saturday morning, Greer and Norder developed information that Coates fled to Breckinridge County (at one point in the evening, Coates called Grayson County Central Dispatch and falsely said he was on his way to work in Hawesville).
Then, at about 2:30 Saturday morning, Greer and Norder learned that Coates was at the FiveStar in Hardinsburg. A Hardinsburg officer was dispatched to the scene where Coates was detained.
While Greer responded to a call in Caneyville, Norder traveled to Hardinsburg and arrested Coates before lodging him in the Grayson County Detention Center.
He was charged with second-degree assault, a class C felony, fourth-degree assault, intimidating a participant in the legal process, also a felony, and public intoxication. He was additionally served with the warrant for fourth-degree assault.
In mid-May, police initiated wide-ranging car theft and drug investigations at Coates’ Maple Drive residence, as several law enforcement officers served a search warrant at the property. A related search warrant was also served on Old Leitchfield Road, in Clarkson.
Multiple people were arrested on drug and/or theft charges, including Coates, who was charged with receiving stolen property, tampering with physical evidence, destruction of a VIN number, failure to register the transfer of a motor vehicle, selling or receiving a vehicle with a removed or altered VIN, abandonment of a vehicle on a public roadway, transfer of a motor vehicle without a bill of sale, improper display of registration plates, and harassment (no physical contact).
In July 2018, Coates was arrested on an outstanding warrant after a brawl took place on Maple Drive, in front of his residence.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
