Troup County News Troup County News
Tommy Murphy
Staff Writer
LaGrange Police have charged a 70-year-old man with assault after he allegedly pulled a knife on two women at a local convenience store.
Thursday night, about 9:40 p.m., officers with the LaGrange Police Department responded to the Speedy Serve gas station.
Officers arrived and spoke with one of the victims, who stated that she was inside the store with her mother and son when a male pulled a knife and threatened to cut them.
The victim explained that the male, William Henry Ray, had been ahead of them in line. When he finished checking out, he and began talking to her mother in a provocative manner. She stated she then asked him to move back due to COVID-19, at which point he began calling her names and said that he could stand wherever he wanted.
The victim stated that Ray continued the aggressive verbal confrontation and threatened to cut her has he pulled a knife from his pants pocket. The victims then began to back away from Ray and he continued to hold out his knife and threaten them.
A bystander then intervened, at which point Ray pushed the bystander in the chest and continued arguing before eventually putting the knife away and walking out of the store.
Police spoke with Ray, who they say was intoxicated. Ray stated that he was in line at the store when the victim began to verbally antagonize and push him. He also claimed that he never brandished a weapon nor did he use derogatory terms toward the female.
Police then spoke to a store employee, who confirmed Ray pulled a knife and threatened the female and her mother with a knife. Officers also reviewed security video, which confirmed the victim and store clerk’s statements. Two knives were also found on Ray’s person.
As a result, Ray, age 70, was arrested and transported to the Troup County Sheriff’s Office where he was booked into the jail charged with Simple Assault and Public Drunkenness.
The author of this article can be reached via email at info@troupcountynews.net.
