Covington Doctor Stabs Woman With Sword

Neighbor Intervenes In Pike Street Attack

POSTED: 5:06 pm EST February 22, 2010
UPDATED: 2:08 pm EST February 23, 2010

COVINGTON, Ky. -- A Covington psychiatrist had a sword raised above his head Sunday evening and was about to stab a woman for a second time, said a man who witnessed the attack.

"I heard some screaming -- it's the kind of screaming you don't ignore -- (and) I ran upstairs," said Doug Hamilton, who asked the doctor why he stabbed the woman.

Hamilton said Dr. Douglas Rank's answer didn't make any sense.

"He said, 'Four quarts low on the truck,'" Hamilton said. "I'm only giving you what I've got; that's what he said."

Emergency crews found 32-year-old Misty Lake lying at the door of the Pike Street building where she'd been attacked, and she was taken to University Hospital with life-threatening chest wounds.

Hamilton said he threw a stack of books at Rank while Lake ran. Another neighbor helped Lake escape, as well.

Hamilton, who knew both Rank and Lake, said he intervened in the attack and the physician threatened his life.

"He tried to stab down at her when I yelled at him to stop," Hamilton said. "Then I got him focused on me when I yelled at him, then he said, 'I'll kill you too,' and I said, 'Now we don't want that.'"

Rank was taken into police custody and charged with first-degree assault, and the attack remains under investigation.

"This is an unusual situation for us to deal with," Assistant Chief Spike Jones said.

Detectives are working on details in this case and more charges may follow.

Officers said that Rank told them he had drank a fifth of brandy and had taken muscle relaxants.

"I know he's been helping her over the last year, counseling (her) through a drug problem. She's been having some custody problems with her children, he was trying to help with that," Hamilton said. "They're both wonderful people. It's a terrible tragedy. My thoughts go to both families."

This isn't the first time Rank has been in trouble.

His medical license has been in jeopardy and he was once under investigation by the medical board.

In 2000, Lexington police showed the board the doctor had prescribed a large amount of narcotics to a female patient. His license was suspended and later reinstated.

Rank's license is set to expire this Sunday, and he remains in police custody on $50,000 bond.

From: http://www.wlwt.com/news/22636852/detail.html