A Cumberland County man stands accused of forcing his way into a residence in southwestern Cumberland County and then attacking a woman inside with a metal broom handle.
Phillip Paul Larsen, 55, Midway Road, is charged with felony aggravated burglary and felony aggravated domestic assault in connection with the incident that occurred July 3.
Cumberland County Sheriff’s Deputy Tyler Leary wrote he was dispatched to a residence in the 900 block of Turkey Blind Road on a report of a man breaking into a residence. When Leary and other deputies arrived on the scene, they were told by witnesses a man arrived at the residence around 3 a.m. and had broken an air-conditioning until from its mount on a window.
The witnesses then walked to the front of the residence and gained entry by breaking through the front door. A woman and man in a bedroom attempted to hold the bedroom door closed when the intruder grabbed a metal broom and started jabbing it through the slightly open door.
The report continues the attacker threatened to kill one of the occupants inside and jabbed the female in the back with the broom, puncturing the lower back.
The intruder then exited the residence and left in a 1999 Dodge Ram pickup, according to the report. During the investigation, deputies learned the suspect may have traveled to a residence in the 200 block of Critter Creek Road. They found the vehicle parked in front of a resident and were told the man arrived at the house and then walked into a wooded area behind it.
Crossville Police Sgt. Chrystal Massey was called with request to use her K-9 to track the suspect in the woods. The suspect was found shortly after by the dog and officers and taken into custody without further incident. He reportedly provided investigators with a statement, content of which is not known.
Larsen was booked at the Justice Center and is held under $20,000 bond.
Larsen appeared in General Sessions Court Monday and was appointed representation of the Public Defender’s Office. The case and an unrelated petition, motion or writ for order of protection was continued to Thursday.
Any results of that hearing will be published Tuesday in the General Sessions docket report.