State Rep. Dewayne Bunch suffers head injury breaking up fight

Republican state Rep. Dewayne Bunch, who is a science teacher at Whitley County High School, suffered a serious head injury after trying to break up a fight between students Tuesday morning, the News Journal in Corbin reported.

Bunch is in critical condition, the newspaper reported. He has since been airlifted to University of Kentucky Medical Center.

Whitley County Sheriffs deputies are currently investigating and taking statements from the students involved in the fight, a spokeswoman for the office confirmed to cn|2.

Whitley County Schools Superintendent Scott Paul was quoted by the News Journal as saying: “It’s not good. It doesn’t look good. I’m dealing with his family right now. This is a bad situation.”

Bunch, 49, defeated longtime state Rep. Charlie Siler, a Corbin Republican, in the May 2010 primary. He is in his first term in the state legislature.

Democratic House Speaker Greg Stumbo issued a statement saying his thoughts and prayers are with Bunch and his family.

“I hope he will be able to recover from this horrific situation,” Stumbo’s statement said. “I enjoyed working with Dewayne when the General Assembly was in session and found him to be an excellent advocate for his constituents.”