- Attempted aggravated murder, a first-degree felony
- Felonious assault, a first-degree felony
- Arson, a fourth-degree felony
Lovely has been booked into the Middletown Jail. He is accused of stabbing deputy Mike Farthing in the back.
Farthing responded around 12:45 p.m. Thursday to a report of a vehicle fire near a residence and trees in the 7000 block of Myers Road in Madison Twp. As Farthing assisted with traffic control for responding fire personnel, he was approached from behind and stabbed by a man, identified as Lovely, who lives at the residence.
“I am extremely thankful that Deputy Farthing is recovering well and will be going home,” Sheriff Richard Jones said in a statement. “There are not many professions where you wake up and prepare for work knowing you may not come home, and law enforcement is one of them. We are all very grateful that, in this case, Deputy Farthing is going home.
“I am confident that Phillip Lovely will have his day in court and that justice will be served.”
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