A Leitchfield felon arrested with methamphetamine and multiple weapons, and who was nearly shot by a Grayson County deputy over two years ago, has been arrested on a drug charge after being found passed out on private property.
Sunday afternoon at approximately 5:30, Leitchfield Police Officer Missy Skaggs was dispatched to an apparently passed out male, 55-year-old William A.L. Willis, on Grayson County Health Department property.
Upon arriving at the scene, Skaggs made contact with Willis, who regained consciousness. Skaggs soon discovered Willis had been “trespassed” from the property; meaning he isn’t allowed on the premises.
During a search of the suspect, Skaggs located methamphetamine.
Willis was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), his second such offense, and third-degree criminal trespassing and lodged in the Grayson County Detention Center.
Willis was convicted in September 2021 for possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) in Grayson County, according to the Kentucky Department of Corrections. He was given three years in prison. Willis is on probation until October 2024.
Willis’ conviction stems of an incident in Grayson County in March 2020 when he was found armed and behaving erratically at the intersection of the Exit 107 on-ramp and South Main Street in Leitchfield.
Upon arriving at the scene of the March 2020 incident, then-Grayson County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Fred Norder observed Willis standing on the right shoulder of the road at South Main Street and the on-ramp. According to the arrest citation, Norder said Willis was holding a black handgun and yelling loudly.
Norder positioned his cruiser about 20 feet from the suspect and instructed Willis to drop the gun. Willis “turned away” from Norder “while yelling obscenities and bending forward at the waist.” It appeared to Norder that Willis may have been preparing to turn and fire on the deputy, according to the citation.
As Norder pointed his firearm at Willis, he continued to issue commands for the suspect to drop the weapon. Eventually, Willis dropped “two black colored handguns and a large hatchet,” the citation states.
As Norder held the suspect at gunpoint, Skaggs, who had arrived on scene along with LPD Officers Chase Melton and Bart Glenn, took Willis into custody and located a large knife in the suspect’s waistband.
Police determined the two firearms Willis dropped were CO2 BB guns. One of the weapons had “Ruger” stamped on it, the citation said, with a barrel roughly the same diameter as a 9mm handgun.
While searching the area where Willis had been standing, Skaggs and Melton found a glass pipe containing drug residue. Police also found a bag of methamphetamine on Willis.
He was arrested and charged with trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), first-degree wanton endangerment, public intoxication (excludes alcohol), and possession of drug paraphernalia.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
