A judge was stabbed several times this afternoon while eating at a restaurant.

Perry Circuit Judge Leigh Anne Stephens was in a booth at the Circle T in Hazard when a man, who has been identified as Ronnie Brock, stabbed her five times. Victor Gainer was in the restaurant at the time and says at first he didn't realize what had happened, "I thought maybe he was just patting her on the back."

When Gainer realized what had happened, he jumped into action. "He kept stabbing at her and I just jumped up and hollered, 'Hey', and he just turned around and I just grabbed the chair and threw him through the window to give Leigh Anne enough time to get away."

Judge Stephens tells WYMT-TV, our sister station in Hazard, that she only suffered superficial wounds. She was taken to the hospital, along with Brock. Both have since been released from the hospital; Brock was taken to the Perry County Jail.

Judge Stephens says she Brock was in her courtroom in 2004 for a domestic violence case. She says she issued a restraining order on Brock during the case but has not had any contact with him since.