Area police made the seventh arrest for malicious wounding this month according to recent police reports.

* Billy Lunsford, 40, of Switzer, was arrested by West Virginia State Police Trooper G.W. Collins for malicious wounding on Oct. 16.

According to police reports, on Oct. 16, Trooper Collins received a complaint from the victim in regards to an unlawful act.

The victim "advised that the accused, Lunsford, came to his residence and began cussing and threatening the victim and his wife," the report states. "The accused then sat in a car and then cut the victim on the right arm before leaving."

He was booked at the Southwestern Regional Jail at 10:37 p.m.

* Joshua L. Southers, 20, of Mt. Gay was arrested by Logan City Police officers J.L. Sheppard, R. Thompson and D.A. White for malicious wounding on Oct. 14. He was released on bond.

* James E. Frye, 26, of Holden, was arrested by Officers Sheppard, Thompson and White of the Logan PD for malicious wounding on Oct. 14. He was released on bond.

According to police reports, on October 10, the officers responded to a call about an altercation on Stratton Street.

"When arriving on scene, these officers spoke with Joshua Southers on the roadway in front of the residence where the altercation occurred," the report states. "He then stated to these officers, 'the (expletive deleted) stabbed me three times, so I stomped his (expletive deleted) brains out until he quit moving.' These officers then observed wounds on his chest, lower back and buttocks. The Southers subject was then transported to Logan Regional Medical Center by EMS. These officers then came in contact with the above defendant (Frye) inside the residence where the altercation took place. He was lying motionless on the floor with major swelling and a laceration on his face. He was also transported to Logan Regional Medical Center by EMS."

Magistrate court employees were stunned at the number of arrests this month for malicious wounding, which is not a common charge. It was the seventh arrest on that charge in a week's time period according to a quick check of The Logan Banner files and some law enforcement officers have commented that the charge has become a small epidemic of late.

* Leonard Ingersoll, 31, of Red Jacket, was arrested in Mingo County by the West Virginia State Police for malicious wounding on Oct. 9.

* Ernest Dempsey Barker, 50, of Clothier, was arrested by Deputy F.N. Ferrell of the LCSD for malicious wounding on Oct. 10 over a fight involving a mattock.

* Bobby Joe York, 39, of Man, was arrested by Trooper G.W. Collins of the West Virginia State Police for malicious wounding on Oct. 11 over another cutting incident.

* Waylon Adams, 30, of Chapmanville, was arrested by deputies M.B. Carter and Dennis Brown of the Logan County Sheriff's Department for malicious wounding on Oct. 12 over an incident where the victim was struck by a two by four board during an altercation.

"I really don't know what is getting into people recently," said one law enforcement officer about the malicious assault arrests. "You usually don't see much of this."