Paducah man facing charges after man trimming grass hit by van

PADUCAH, Ky. (KBSI) – A Paducah man faces assault and DUI charges after police say a man was seriously injured after a van ran off the road and hit a man trimming grass.

Anthony M. Grass, 43, of Madison Street, arrested on charges of first-degree assault, driving under the influence and failing to maintain vehicle insurance.

Paducah police were called at 7:44 a.m. to a crash near Surplus City on Paducah’s southside. It happened on Irvin Cobb Drive between Brown and Broad streets.

Officers found 19-year-old Kyler A. Byassee of Grogan Circle on the ground and Grass behind the steering wheel of a 2002 Chrysler Town and Country van stopped on the road.

Byassee was on the sidewalk, using a grass trimmer, when the van ran off the right side of the road, jumped the curb and hit him, according to the Paducah Police Department.

The van then traveled several hundred feet before hitting a utility pole and traveling back onto the road.

Grass told officers he fell asleep and didn’t realize he ran off the road and hit a person.

Officers said Grass showed signs of impairment and failed field sobriety tests.

Grass was arrested on charges of first-degree assault, driving under the influence and failing to maintain vehicle insurance. He was booked into McCracken County Regional Jail.

Byassee sustained serious injuries and was taken to Baptist Health Paducah. Then, he was flown to an out-of-state hospital.

Grass told officers he was not injured.

The Paducah Police Department’s Collision Reconstruction Team and detectives are investigating.