Lexington restaurant hosting fundraiser for injured police officer
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Lee’s Famous Chicken will donate 20% of Thursday sales to Kevin Van Wert’s family.
- Officer Van Wert suffered several broken bones and had his arm amputated.
- Mufallah was indicted June 8 on multiple first-degree charges, including assault.
A Lexington restaurant will host a fundraiser on Thursday, July 2, for a police officer who was recently severely injured during a traffic stop.
Lee’s Famous Chicken at 3014 Richmond Road will donate 20% of its Thursday sales to officer Kevin Van Wert’s family for medical expenses and other needs. Lexington police said people should say “support for the Lexington officer” at checkout.
“We want to thank them for their continued support,” Lexington police said in a Facebook post. “It means so much to us that we have a caring and supportive community.”
Van Wert was injured April 14 during a traffic stop at the Meijer Gas Station on Ruccio Way. Police previously said Van Wert pulled over Naqeeb Mufallah, 32, because his rear license plate was not illuminated, and Mufallah drove off the officer was leaning into his window.
A Lexington police detective later testified that Mufallah intentionally veered toward a pole to shake Van Wert loose from his car. The officer suffered several broken bones and had his arm amputated.
Mufallah fled the scene but was arrested a short time later. He was charged with first-degree assault of a police officer, first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer, first-degree criminal mischief, first-degree fleeing or evading police, resisting arrest, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, leaving the scene of an accident or failure to render aid with death or serious physical injury, rear license plate not illuminated and a probation violation.
Mufallah was indicted on the charges June 8, and his case remains active in Fayette Circuit Court. He is being held at the Fayette County Detention Center on a $750,000 bond.
Van Wert has been employed with Lexington police since August 2024 and graduated from the training academy in March 2025. He previously worked for the Portland Police Department in Maine.
Van Wert is from Bourbon County and graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in economics in 2021.
