Lexington cop injured when man fled traffic stop had arm amputated
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Det. testified Mufallah aimed at a pole to knock Van Wert off his car and evade arrest.
- Officer Kevin Van Wert suffered an amputation of his right arm and multiple broken bones.
- Mufallah faces multiple charges and remained jailed with a $750,000 bond.
The officer injured recently when a man fled a traffic stop and veered into a pole suffered several broken bones and had his arm amputated, a detective testified Tuesday.
The driver, Naqeeb Mufallah, 31, intentionally veered toward the pole to shake officer Kevin Van Wert loose from his car, the detective said.
The traffic stop happened around 10:45 p.m. April 14 at the Meijer Gas Station on Ruccio Way. Police said Van Wert pulled over Mufallah because his rear license plate was not illuminated, and Mufallah drove off the officer was leaning into his window.
Mufallah fled the scene but was arrested a short time later. He is 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.
On Tuesday, during a preliminary hearing at Fayette District Court, Lexington police Det. Tyler Ferrell provided more details about the incident.
After pulling over Mufallah, Van Wert discovered he had an active warrant for a probation violation. Van Wert ordered Mufallah to exit the vehicle, but he refused.
Ferrell said Van Wert then tried to forcibly remove Mufallah from the vehicle, but Mufallah accelerated while Van Wert’s body was partially inside the vehicle through the driver’s side window.
While fleeing, Mufallah intentionally aimed his vehicle toward a metal pole in an attempt to knock Van Wert off his car, Ferrell said.
“It appears he was steering toward that pole and struck the driver’s side of his vehicle alongside it in an apparent attempt to knock officer Van Wert off to continue his flight and evade arrest,” Ferrell said.
Van Wert suffered serious injuries in the incident, including an amputation of his right arm, according to Ferrell. He also suffered multiple broken bones and has undergone multiple surgeries.
Police previously described Van Wert’s injuries as serious but non-life-threatening.
Ferrell reviewed Van Wert’s body-camera footage and said it appeared he was trying to hang on to the steering wheel and roof while Mufallah fled. A gun was found inside the vehicle after Mufallah’s arrest, but Ferrell said there was no indication that Van Wert knew about the gun.
Mufallah hit two other cars after leaving the gas station, Ferrell said. Surveillance footage from the gas station showed the entirety of the incident.
Other officers were with Van Wert during the traffic stop. Weathers previously identified them as K-CI Carmichael, Erica Sacharnoski and Dylan Sharp.
District Judge Lindsay Thurston found probable cause from Ferrell’s testimony and sent the case to the Fayette County grand jury. Mufallah’s attorney asked Thurston to lower his $750,000 bond, but Thurston quickly denied the request.
Thurston previously raised Mufallah’s bond from $100,000 after finding out more about Van Wert’s injuries and Mufallah’s criminal history. He remains incarcerated at the Fayette County Detention Center.
Mufallah has a lengthy criminal history, including previous guilty pleas to charges of assault of a police officer and fleeing or evading police on foot, according to court records. He was on probation at the time of the most recent incident.
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.
This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 11:36 AM.
