UNEEDA, W.Va. — Boone County deputies were dispatched to a bizarre scene in the Uneeda community just before midnight Thursday. The original call was for a man who had apparently cut his own throat and was wielding a knife threatening suicide.
Deputies arrived to a scene where Ricky Bally, 50, of Quinland, had a laceration on his neck and was out of control.
“He was still threatening suicide, screaming and yelling and acting erratically,” said Boone County Chief Deputy Chad Barker. “It lasted probably 20 minutes. He would go inside the house, then come back out with the knife to his throat. At one point he had a knife in each hand and crossed in the front saying he was going to kill himself.”
Deputies worked out a plan which they executed the last time Ball went in the house. When he came back out, they hit him with a taser and got him under control.
Barker didn’t know what had set Ball off.
“I have no idea at this point,” said Barker. “It’s something we’re still looking into whether he was under the influence of drug or alcohol or had mental issues.”
Ball suffered a serious self-inflicted wound to his throat. He was taken to CAMC for treatment. His injuries are not considered life threatening.
Ball could face charges over a domestic incident which happened prior to deputies being called. However, Barker said Ball was the only one injured in the home.