Man accused of pulling BB pistol on Graves County deputy

FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

GRAVES COUNTY, Ky., (KBSI) — A man faces several charges after authorities say he pulled what appeared to be a handgun on a Graves County sheriff’s deputy during an attempted arrest.

Deputy Zach Smith responded around 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, to a home on Pritchett Road while investigating the reported harassment of a woman.

The Graves County Sheriff’s Office said 38-year-old Kyle D. Staples initially gave the deputy a false name. After confirming Staples’ identity, Smith learned that Staples was wanted on an active felony warrant from Fulton County.

When Smith informed him about the warrant, Staples allegedly said he was not going to jail and pulled what appeared to be a semiautomatic handgun from his pocket.

Authorities said a brief standoff followed before Staples threw the weapon to the ground and surrendered. Investigators later determined the weapon was a BB pistol.

Staples reportedly told Sheriff Jon Hayden that he had been trying to get Smith to shoot him. According to the sheriff’s office, Staples said he recognized the deputy from previous encounters and decided he did not want to follow through because Smith had always “treated him right.”

Staples is charged with identity theft, menacing and resisting arrest. He was also taken into custody on the Fulton County felony warrant.

The sheriff’s office said Staples has previous convictions for first-degree burglary, theft of a firearm and terroristic threatening.

Staples was taken to the Graves County Restricted Custody Center before being transferred to an out-of-county detention facility.

“Deputy Smith exercised a lot of restraint during the incident and acted in a professional manner, which is a credit to his profession and character,” Hayden said.