Crime & Safety

Construction Worker Strikes Coworker in Chest With Paving Tool, Narrowly Misses Pacemaker

The wound did not penetrate the man's chest and did not damage internal organs, according to a police report.

A construction worker struck another man with a paving tool, gashing his chest and narrowly missing his pacemaker, police said.

Sunset Hills Police said that Brian Kitson, 30, and the second coworker argued throughout the day Oct. 4 at a construction site in Sunset Hills. Kitson then swung the sharp end of an asphalt lute, a tool used to spread hot asphalt, at the man, striking him in the chest, according to the police report.

The wounded man first was taken to Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Festus and then was transferred by ambulance to St. Louis University Hospital. Physicians told police the wound was one centimeter by one centimeter, and did not penetrate the chest or harm any internal organs.

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Kitson, of House Springs, was charged Oct. 29 with second-degree assault.

Bail was set at $10,000, cash only.

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For more crime information on Sunset Hills Patch, see the following articles:

  • Blotter: Man Assaulted With Hand Tool
  • Man Steal's Dad's Truck; Father Ends Up With Broken Leg
  • Men Face Shrewsbury Armed Robbery Charges in String of Holdups


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