Fatal shooting part of ongoing conflict

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July 24, 2008

Jim Wesley Goff, 34, killed during incident on Ky. 635

By HEATHER PYLES, CJ Staff Writer The Commonwealth Journal Thu Jul 24, 2008, 09:26 PM EDT

Investigators say a Somerset man killed by a shotgun blast during an altercation Wednesday night had returned to the scene after an earlier conflict in possible retaliation against the resident who lives on the property.

Jim Wesley Goff, 34, of Westgate Drive, Somerset, was pronounced dead by Pulaski County Coroner Richard New at approximately 8:30 p.m. Wednesday after authorities responded to a report of a fight on West Ky. 635 in Science Hill, according to a press release from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department.

Wednesday night’s incident was only the latest event in an ongoing conflict between Goff and Joshua Pyles, who rents the house where the incident occurred. Pulaski County Sheriff Todd Wood said Goff had been arrested on alcohol-related charges at the same property around midnight on Tuesday, about 20 hours before he was killed.

“There is certainly a history,” Wood said. “There was an event the night before and our department arrested Mr. Goff at that same location. ... It may have led him (Goff) to want to come back and seek revenge or retaliation.”

The Major Crimes Task Force is investigating other factors that may have led Goff to return to the property.

A preliminary investigation revealed that Goff, his wife Heather Goff, 29, and John Strunk, 46, of Heaton Ford Road, Science Hill, had driven from Somerset to Science Hill to the property located approximately four miles out West Ky. 635. Wood said two other persons were also in the vehicle when it arrived on the property.

“We’re still looking into reports that some suspects may have scattered and come back to the crime scene,” Wood said.

Goff reportedly began fighting with Pyles outside Pyles’ home. Strunk and Heather Goff then began fighting with Pyles’ fiancée, Tammy Coomer. The fight escalated when a neighbor, Wesley Johnson, intervened in an attempt to stop the fight, according to investigators.

Jim Wesley Goff was armed with a wooden club and “was using it in the assault against the residents (Pyles and Coomer),” according to the press release.

Wood said an investigation into reports of other weapons being used during the fight is being conducted, but so far nothing has been found.

“We have no reason to believe that there were any other weapons on the scene besides what was discovered when investigators arrived,” Wood said.

After several minutes of fighting, Pyles retrieved a shotgun and asked that the suspects leave the property. The suspects refused to leave and continued to make threats toward Pyles and Coomer. It was at that point Pyles fired one shot at Jim Wesley Goff, fatally wounding him, according to Wood.

Wood could not comment on what type of conflict had occurred that led to the incidents on the property, but he did confirm that Goff had a past criminal history not related to the Wednesday night incident.

Heather Goff and John Strunk also have a criminal history within the county, according to Wood.

Wood also said someone associated with Jim Wesley Goff also attempted to contact Pyles earlier in the day Wednesday before the altercation occurred.

Heather Goff and Strunk were both arrested at the scene and charged with second-degree assault stemming from “their participation in traveling to the Pyles residence and being involved in assaulting Pyles, Coomer and Johnson,” according to the press release.

Both were lodged in the Pulaski County Detention Center.

Pyles has not yet been charged in the shooting because the initial investigation indicated that he was “acting in self-defense in protecting himself and his family,” according to Wood.

The results of the investigation will be presented to a Pulaski County grand jury.

Wood said he couldn’t comment on any other specifics of the case, but he said that there may be additional arrests as the investigation continues.

The sheriff’s department was assisted at the scene by the Kentucky State Police, Somerset Fire/EMS and the Pulaski County Coroner’s Office.

An investigation is being conducted by the Pulaski County Major Crimes Task Force.

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Pulaski carries Girdler to win

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.

Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.

Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.

That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.

However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.

In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.

Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.

“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”

Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”

As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.

However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.

“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.

Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.

Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.

Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”

Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”

Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.

Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.

“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.

“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.”

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