BUTLER COUNTY — The man accused of stabbing a Butler County sheriff’s deputy has been formally charged.
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Phillip Brandon Lovely, 41, was indicted on one count of attempted aggravated murder, two counts of felonious assault, one count of arson, and two counts of inducing panic on Wednesday, according to Butler County Court of Common Pleas records.
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As News Center 7 previously reported, Butler County Deputy Mike Farthing responded to the 7000 block of Myers Road for reports of a vehicle on fire around 12:45 p.m. on Feb. 5.
When Farthing arrived, he saw a vehicle on fire near a home.
While Farthing was assisting with traffic control, Lovely allegedly came from behind and stabbed him in the back.
Farthing called for backup, and Lovely was taken into custody.
In a statement, Sheriff Richard K. Jones said he was “extremely thankful that Deputy Farthing is recovering well and will be going home.”
“There are not many professions where you wake up and prepare for work knowing you may not come home, and law enforcement is one of them. We are all very grateful that, in this case, Deputy Farthing is going home. I am confident that Phillip Lovely will have his day in court and that justice will be served,” Jones said.
Lovely remains booked in the Butler County Jail and will appear in court on Feb. 13.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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