Kentucky officer killed in crash, driver charged with murder

LONDON, Ky. (WKYT) - Kentucky State Police confirms an officer with the London Police Department has died.

According to KSP, 26-year-old Officer Logan Medlock was hit and killed by a drunk driver overnight at around 12:40 AM on Sunday morning. KSP says that a pickup truck was traveling north on Ky. 229 when it entered the intersection and collided with Officer Medlock’s patrol unit. His shift had begun at 6:00 PM on Saturday evening.

The impact knocked both vehicles into the A.R. Dyche Cemetery, damaging several headstones. The intersection was closed for most of Sunday morning while the KSP Critical Incident Response Team reconstructed the accident.

“We believe that the operator of unit one was going northbound on Ky. 229 and the police officer was traveling southbound on South Main Street,” said KSP Trooper Scottie Pennington.

As a result of the collision, Officer Medlock suffered life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead on the scene by the Laurel County Coroner’s Office. Officer Medlock joined the London Police Department in August 2019. He was the son of LPD Assistant Chief Randy Medlock.

“Logan was an outstanding police officer,” said Police Chief Travis Dotson in an emotional statement on Sunday morning. “We are heartbroken. I want to thank KSP and the Sheriff’s Office for stepping up and helping us at this time.”

Chief Dotson said the department is in shock and disbelief. “It’s a great loss for this community, and we will never forget him.”

Officer Medlock was a legacy officer at the London Police Department. He is the son of Assistant Chief Randy Medlock.

At a press conference on Sunday morning, Kentucky State Police announced charges against the driver involved in the crash.

36-year-old Casey Byrd from Oneida, TN is being charged with driving under the influence and murder of a police officer. He was transported to the Laurel County Correctional Center.

The crash happened outside of O’Reilly Auto Parts on South Main Street in London. Alex Schneider is an employee at the store. He did his part to honor Officer Medlock by placing a flag at the scene of the crash.

“That flag will be there in remembrance of him and the other first responders out here, to thank them for their service and everything they do for us,” said Schneider.

TJ’s Towing employees say they work closely with London Police. They hung a flag on the back of a tow truck as a tribute to their friend, Officer Medlock.

“It don’t matter where we was at or what we was doing, he always meant to ask about my little boy and see how he was doing and make sure everybody was doing alright. Logan was a great dude. Exceptional,” said TJ’s Towing recovery specialist, Pat Riley.

Officer Medlock leaves behind a wife and a little boy of his own.

This story is developing and will be updated as we learn more.

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