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Last updated on Wednesday, January 6, 2016
(BEDFORD) - A Bedford man who was upset with the Department of Veterans Affairs and rammed his pickup into the south doors of the Lawrence County Courthouse in December pleaded not guilty Tuesday.
58-year-old Terry Luttrell, who is out of jail after posting a $7,500 bond, is being represented by public defender Jim Spangler.
Luttrell entered not guilty pleas on four charges - institutional criminal mischief, criminal recklessness, resisting law enforcement and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
According to Lawrence County Sheriff Mike Branham, Luttrell rammed his truck into the courthouse on December 11 because he was upset because of something he had learned from the Lawrence County Department of Veteran's Affairs.
According to Lawrence County Commissioner Chris May, the entrance was destroyed. A limestone pillar and a limestone bannister were damaged, a new tree was uprooted and there was damage to the hand-carved limestone that runs along the door jam.
According to police, when Luttrell left his home he told his wife "if anyone came to the door they would probably knock it down. He then went to the Bedford Police Department about 9 p.m. that Friday.
Chief Parsley says Luttrell was disturbed over his dealings at the Veterans Affair Office, but Parsley did not know any details about that encounter.
"He is a patient of the VA. He has a past history with the VA hospital," Parsley added at the time of the incident. "He seemed calm when he left the police department."
However, a few minutes later, police received reported that a man in a truck was ramming his pickup into the south side of the courthouse.
"Mr. Luttrell was backing up and ramming the doors with his truck when officers arrived on the scene," Parsley added.
Officers says Luttrell was combative and they had to physically restrain him.
"He was not injured, but was taken by ambulance to a local hospital for a medical evaluation," Parsley says.
Luttrell later admitted that he had been sober for 18 years prior to Friday night's incident, but he had "drank a pint" that night. He also admitted to "backing up and hitting it again and again." He also stated he hoped his actions would help at least one person in their dealings with the Office of Veterans Affairs.
Sheriff Branham noted that the Veterans Affairs office was at the bottom of the stairs of the door Luttrell rammed with his truck.
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