Crime

Man charged with assaulting, taking gun from Kentucky State Police trooper after chase

Kentucky State Police cruiser vehicle.
Kentucky State Police cruiser vehicle. Lexington Herald-Leader

A man was charged Friday with assaulting a Kentucky State Police trooper and taking the officer’s gun.

The trooper was treated at a hospital and released. State police did not release the officer’s name.

The incident happened just after midnight in Nelson County. The trooper tried to stop a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox for a traffic violation but the driver allegedly didn’t stop.

The trooper pursued the driver until the road reached a dead end and the driver ran into some woods, according to a news release.

When the trooper caught up with the suspect, the man allegedly assaulted the trooper and fled.

State police obtained a warrant charging Dustin M. Thompson, 31 of New Hope, with first-degree assault, first-degree strangulation, disarming a police officer and theft of a firearm, according to the release.

State police did not immediately find Thompson and cautioned people against approaching him because he was considered dangerous, but said in a later release that he had been found and arrested.

This story was originally published June 7, 2024 at 12:30 PM.

Bill Estep
Lexington Herald-Leader
Bill Estep covers Southern and Eastern Kentucky. Support my work with a digital subscription
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