Man Seriously Hurt in Robbery Attempt

Sheriff deputies arrested three Wilkes men shortly after they allegedly assaulted another man, causing serious injuries. The assault was reported Thursday evening a a home on Huffman River Lane. Deputies say the men had ran away by the time they got there, but first responders and EMS were still on the scene, trying to keep the victim, 65-year old Tommy Spears, awake. He had a severe head injury, according to the crime report, and was rushed by EMS to Wilkes Regional Medical Center. The man who called 9-1-1, Jessie Spears, told deputies he knew the names of the three men and where they lived, and he told deputies the men had come to the house to steal his uncle's money and prescription medicines.



Deputies went to a home on Pleasant Home Church Road and arrested the three, 25-year old Ty Hampton; 19-year old Diandre Brown, and 41-year old Hank Evans. According to the three and to Jessie Spears, the men were leaving the house after being told repeatedly to get lost. Then Evans grabbed Jessie Spears, while Hampton and Brown went back in the house. Hampton hit the elder Mr. Spears in the head, causing him to fall into a coffee table. That injury is what left him slipping in and out of consciousness when help arrived. After the assault, the three men ran from the house. Each faces a charge of Assault Inflicting Serious Injury, and a charge of First Degree Burglary.