Staff Report

A Jan. 2 argument between two Kentucky men left one in the Sumter County Jail and another hospitalized.

Brian Jordan, 43, of Morehead, Ky. was arrested and charged with second degree assault following an altercation on the side of the interstate, The victim, 24 year old Michael Dean of Olive Hill, Ky., sustained multiple knife wounds to his neck, chest and shoulder. He was taken to Hill Hospital where he was stabilized and transferred to Rush Hospital. Dean was expected to recover from his wounds.

According to Sheriff Johnny Hatter, the two men were riding in the same vehicle near York on Interstate 59-20 on their way to a job.

“They were four coworkers carpooling from their home in Kentucky to South Mississippi where they had been doing utility repair work after the hurricanes,” Hatter said. “These two particular guys didn’t get along to begin with, plus they were drinking on the ride down. What started as an argument turned into a fist-fight on the side of the highway and then turned into a stabbing.”

Hatter said during the struggle, Jordan pulled a knife. He said between alcohol and hard feelings, the situation escalated.

“Somehow during the struggle a knife was pulled and the victim was cut,” Hatter said. “It’s just an example of how bad blood and alcohol don’t mix. From what I understand these two should not have even been in the same car, much less riding and drinking for 10 hours across the country. They just couldn’t get along.”

Jordan was placed in Sumter County jail and later released on $5,000 bond.