Malden man charged in shovel assault

MALDEN, Mo. -- A Malden man was charged Monday with critically injuring another man by allegedly striking him repeatedly in the head with a shovel.

William Scott Laden, 23, of the 500 block of South Kimball Street was charged with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and resisting arrest by Dunklin County assistant prosecuting attorney Jonce Chidister. All of the charges are felonies.

Laden, who was transported to the Dunklin County Jail on Monday afternoon, is being held on $100,000 cash bond.

Laden is accused of causing serious physical injury to Greg Nelson Gilmer, who is being treated in the trauma intensive care unit at the Regional Medical Center in Memphis, Tennessee.

The charges stem from an investigation that began at 10:40 a.m. Sunday, when Malden officers were dispatched to Kimball Street to a report of a fight, according to officer Stephen Chamberlain's probable-cause affidavit filed with the court.

"Upon our arrival ... I observed a white male, later identified as William Scott Laden, striking a person several times in the head and face with a scoop shovel," said Chamberlain, who ordered Laden, at gunpoint, to drop the weapon and lie face down on the ground.

"[Laden] was ordered to put his arms out to the side, and [he] did not comply," Chamberlain wrote. "He kept his hands in close to his body."

Chamberlain said he holstered his weapon and positioned himself on Laden's left side as officer Denise Summers "remained armed for cover."

At that point, Chamberlain said, he took Laden's left wrist and attempted to move it into a "handcuffing position."

"Mr. Laden yelled in pain," Chamberlain said. "He stated his shoulder was hurt, and he could not move his arm."

The officers reportedly again attempted to subdue Laden with flex cuffs.

"Mr. Laden was ordered to roll onto his back, and I handcuffed his right wrist," Chamberlain said. "When I attempted to handcuff his left wrist, Mr. Laden pulled away and resisted arrest. I ordered Officer Summers to deploy her X26 Taser and discharge it to subdue Mr. Laden."

Laden reportedly was cuffed and left on the ground with Summers covering him while Chamberlain checked on Gilmer.

As Chamberlain was checking Gilmer, "Mr. Laden got up and ran east beside the [neighboring] residence. ... Officer Summers attempted to tase him again, but the lead had pulled away from him, and it would not send an electrical shock."

Chamberlain said he pursued Laden and "tased him to take control ... Mr. Laden continued to fight with us."

The officers subsequently gained control of Laden and put him in a patrol car.

Gilmer, according to Chamberlain, was found to be unresponsive, with visible injuries to his face and head.

"He was airlifted to The Med in Memphis, Tennessee, and as of the last report is in critical condition," Chamberlain said.

Further details about what the men might have been fighting about were not available by press time.

Pertinent address:

Malden, Mo.