Investigators say a passerby assaulted a firefighter while crews were preparing to extinguish an outdoor fire in Connelly Springs

By Mark Price
The Charlotte Observer

CONNELLY SPRINGS, N.C. — A fire call turned into a tug-of-war when a passerby grabbed one end of the fire hose, then punched the firefighter who refused to let go, according to investigators in western North Carolina.

It happened on Spaniel Street in Connelly Springs, and a suspect has been arrested, the Burke County Sheriff’s Office said. Connelly Springs is about a 65-mile drive northwest from uptown Charlotte.

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“Deputies spoke to the victim and learned that while preparing to extinguish an outside fire near a wood line, a (man) approached and grabbed the fire hose,” the sheriff’s office said.

“While attempting to regain control of the fire hose, the (man) struck the fireman on the side of the head with a closed fist and ran from the scene. Deputies were unable to locate the suspect.”

The firefighter works with Icard Township Fire and Rescue, according to court documents. The punch struck him in the ear, an arrest warrant says.

An investigation identified 37-year-old Leevon Monroe Ussery as a suspect in the assault, and he was found near Spaniel Street on Jan. 21, officials said. Ussery is homeless and was on probation at the time of the attack, officials said.

He has been charged with: Felony assault with physical injury of emergency personnel; two counts of felony probation violation, and one count of misdemeanor probation violation, officials said. Bond was set at $80,000.

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