KY man barricades himself in home after woman held captive, attacked, sheriff says
A London man who allegedly held a woman against her will and sexually assaulted her was detained by authorities Tuesday after he barricaded himself in his home, according to the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office.
Austin Johnson, 42, has been accused of physically assaulting the woman, putting a pillow over her face, dragging her back into the house when she tried to leave, and sexually assaulting her, according to a news release from the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office.
The woman locked herself in the bathroom and escaped through a window once Johnson was in another area of the house, according to the sheriff’s office. Responding deputies located her, but Johnson ran back inside the house, barricaded himself inside and refused to leave, according to the sheriff’s office. Authorities thought he may be armed.
A special response team was dispatched to the house. Despite negotiations, Johnson did not come outside until the special response team used gas, according to the sheriff’s office. He was taken into custody uninjured without further incident just before 9:45 a.m., according to the sheriff’s office.
Johnson has been charged with strangulation, assault, wanton endangerment, unlawful imprisonment, sodomy, domestic violence and sexual abuse, according to the sheriff’s office. He was taken to the Laurel County Correctional Center.
The woman was taken to Saint Joseph London to treat her injuries, according to the sheriff’s office.
Laurel County Sheriff John Root said no neighbors, bystanders, or officers were injured in the operation
This story was originally published May 13, 2020 at 2:31 PM.