Warrant issued on Rickey Phillips

by Tonia Noe-Rose, staff writer

Oct. 15, 2008 October 22, 2008 01:58 pm

— The warrants have been signed against Kentucky Christian University freshman quarterback Rickey Phillips charging him and his brother with malicious wounding of two minors of Wayne County, West Virginia.
A Cabell County judge signed the warrants Tuesday morning for the arrests of Phillips and his brother Justin Phillips, said Huntington Police Sgt. John Williams.
ÒWe will make a call to them first to see if they will turn themselves in to the police,Ó Williams commented Tuesday following the warrants being issued. ÒWe hope they will.Ó
Rick Cooper, athletics director for KCU, was asked about the alleged incident and what KCU has done concerning PhillipsÕ position with the KCU Knights. ÒHe has been suspended from the universityÕs football team indefinitely, pending further investigation,Ó Cooper commented Tuesday. ÒRight now we are waiting to see a police report.Ó
The brothers are charged with allegedly beating Chris Wellman, 17, and 17-year-old Kyle Layne, causing serious face and head injury to both.
The alleged incident took place Oct. 4 when the Phillips brothers drove to LayneÕs Huntington residence to confront him about an alleged phone call made to Justin PhillipsÕ girlfriend.
Layne said he suffered a broken eye socket and broken cheekbone and jaw, caused when he was allegedly kicked in the face several times. Wellman underwent surgery Oct. 6 on his jaw, while Layne is scheduled for surgery Oct. 28. Both Layne and Wellman are students at Spring Valley High School. Layne told the Journal-Times that he knew both the PhillipsÕ brothers but were not friends with them.
Williams said a felony malicious wounding charge carries two to 10 years in prison, if found guilty.