Reports maintain that a man from Jackson County was arrested following a violent incident in Clay County involving the theft of a truck and an assault with a weapon.
The case began when John Stapleton, who was in custody, reported to Kentucky State
Police troopers that his truck had been stolen between November 11 and 12.
According to Stapleton, Jonathan Brumley, 52, of Annville, pressed the muzzle of a revolver against the back of Stapleton’s head, fired the weapon, and caused burn marks. Troopers later confirmed two round burn marks consistent with Stapleton’s account. Stapleton also stated that Brumley struck him in the back of the head with the pistol, rendering him unconscious.
Stapleton explained to police that he had gone to a home on 340 Keith Lane in Manchester after running out of gas and was paying someone for assistance. He delayed reporting the incident out of fear of being labeled a “rat.”
Stapleton had purchased the truck about a week and a half earlier from Robert’s Used Auto Sales on Highway 80 for $4,400, as confirmed by a bill of sale dated November 10, 2025.
The dealership employee reported that Stapleton and his mother had informed him about the theft but were unable to notify the Clay County Sheriff’s Office because Stapleton was not listed as the owner. The employee also confirmed Stapleton’s account of being struck in the head with a pistol.
On November 24, troopers visited the home on Keith Lane for a follow-up and observed a passenger car attempting to evade them. Brumley was identified in the vehicle and subsequently arrested.
A search of the vehicle revealed a bag containing a substance believed to be methamphetamine, which Brumley admitted to possessing. Brumley also told police he had previously fled law enforcement earlier in the month during an incident on Highway 1350.
Brumley denied involvement in the reported theft and assault, stating that he and Stapleton had been involved in a fight on the night of November 11 over a “smarting off” incident. Brumley faces charges including first-degree robbery, theft by unlawful taking or disposition (auto valued between $1,000 and $10,000), possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, second-degree assault, wanton endangerment in the first degree, and first-degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine). He was taken to the Clay County Detention Center
