Northern Kentucky Blotter | Police reports, fire calls and traffic issues
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FEBRUARY 19, 2025 reports.
Rescuers get to work after car plunges into frigid lake



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Recently, the Covington fire department was asked to assist Edgewood Fire Department and Airport Towing recover a car in the frigid water on the Thomas More Campus.

"Thankfully, the driver of the car was safe and never was in the water," notes the fire department on Facebook.

R1, Zodiac 2 and C3 responded to assist. R1 members entered the water and hooked the tow cable to the car.

After is was moved to more shallow water the R1 crews connected the cable in a better location and the car was able to be removed.









FEBRUARY 17, 2025 reports.
Road crews asking drivers to not use flooded roadways



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Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has issued a high water warning.

"We've seen several reports of folks driving past barricades/barrels and through flooded roadways," a spokesperson notes.

"Please, do not do this. The barricades are there for a reason, your safety! It only takes a few inches of water to put yourself in danger.

"You don't know how deep the water is, or if the pavement is damaged."









FEBRUARY 17, 2025 reports.
Guilty pleas and convictions in Kenton County



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Guilty pleas and convictions in Kenton County, at the above link.








FEBRUARY 16, 2025 reports.
NKY city councilman, safety committee chair arrested on domestic violence charges



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Alexandria police arrested City Councilman Shane Collins on domestic violence and criminal mischief charges at the end of January, court records show.

Police say officers went to Collins' home around 10 p.m. on Jan. 31 after a call came in about a fight.

An officer spoke with Collins' wife, who said the couple had been in a fight over him cheating on her.

During the fight, she said Collins grabbed her shirt and ripped her to the ground, according to an incident report.









FEBRUARY 15, 2025 reports.
Additional sentences for NKY man who was earlier convicted of attempted murder of officer



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In December, 2024, at the conclusion of a two-day jury trial, a Kenton County jury convicted Brad Williams of Possession of a Firearm by Convicted Felon and Persistent Felony Offender 2nd Degree.

The same jury recommended a sentence of 8 years on prison.

Williams appeared for formal, final sentencing before Kenton Circuit Judge Kathleen Lape on February 10, 2025.

Judge Lape followed the jury's recommendation and imposed the sentence of 8 years.

Judge Lape further ordered that the 8 year sentence run consecutively to a previously imposed 35 year sentence Williams received for Attempted Murder, Wanton Endangerment 1st Degree, and Persistent Felony Offender 1st Degree.

Under Kentucky law, because Williams was wearing body armor at the time of the offenses, he must serve the collective 43 year sentence with no parole, good time, or any other form of early release.

Williams was convicted in a separate trial of shooting Covington Police Officer Jared Habermehl with a SKS assault rifle in 2018 and firing multiple additional shots into a room occupied by two other Covington Police officers and Williams' own mother.

Officers returned fire and shot Williams multiple times, however, some of the shots struck a bullet proof vest Williams was wearing.

Trial on those charges was held in June, 2023. The investigation was handled by KY State Police per local protocol for officer involved uses of deadly force.










FEBRUARY 14, 2025 reports.
Northern Kentucky SWAT team arrests 2 in high risk drug raid



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A coordinated law enforcement operation led to the arrest of two Cincinnati residents during a high risk search warrant execution in Newport.

Authorities apprehended 32-year-old Joshua Samuel Smith, who was wanted on two E-Warrants from Kentucky for traffic offenses and a felony warrant from the Cheviot Police Department in Ohio related to a 2024 shooting incident.

Smith now faces additional charges in Kentucky, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree, and trafficking in less than 8 ounces of marijuana.

Also arrested was 20-year-old Justin Lee Egner Jr., who has been charged with tampering with physical evidence and trafficking in marijuana for possession of less than eight ounces, classified as a first offense. Both Smith and Egner are being held at the Campbell County Detention Center.









FEBRUARY 12, 2025 reports.
Covington police cannot find cause of infant's death

On Friday, February 7, at around 3:39 p.m., officers responded to a report of an unresponsive infant at The Little Treehouse Learning Center on Wayman Branch in Covington.

The infant was transported to St. Elizabeth Edgewood for emergency care but, tragically, did not survive.

Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Bureau and members of the Evidence Collection Unit responded to conduct an investigation.

At this time, Covington Police have not found cause to believe any crimes were committed.

The daycare has fully cooperated with detectives. The investigation remains open pending a final autopsy report which could take weeks to receive. An update will be provided if appropriate.









FEBRUARY 10, 2025 reports.
One shot after argument at Newport vacation rental

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Police say the victim had been staying at an Airbnb in Newport with friends when an argument broke out between the victim and the suspect.

Officials say the two are known to each other, and the shooting is considered an isolated incident.

NPD did not identify the suspect or the victim, saying their investigation is ongoing.









FEBRUARY 9, 2025 reports.
Four month old dies at Covington daycare center




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A four-month-old died at Little Treehouse Learning Center daycare on Friday. Covington Police confirm there's now an investigation into the infant's death.

Right now, officers do not know how the child died, but told us that the daycare is cooperating with the investigation.

The daycare sent out a note to all parents about what happened, saying they immediately asked all families to pick up their children to allow authorities to conduct an investigation.









FEBRUARY 8, 2025 reports.
A stolen car in Cheviot brought chaos to a Kroger store in NKY

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On 12/19/23, a man on his way home from working the night shift in a 24 hour restaurant stopped at a gas station in Cheviot, OH.

Before he could even reach the counter inside the store, his car had been stolen. He reported the car stolen to police in Ohio and informed them he was tracking the vehicle using the Life360 app on his girlfriend's phone.


Mark West

Despite knowing exactly where the car was using the app's GPS, police did nothing to help the couple recover their only means of transportation.

After police took the theft report and left, the couple got a neighbor to drive them to look for their stolen car.





The couple followed the dot on the Life360 app to the Ft. Mitchell Kroger where they spotted their stolen Ford Fusion parked near the gas pumps with the thief still sitting behind the wheel.

The female approached the car from the driver's side. The male snuck up the passenger side and opened the door, attempting to enter the car and grab the keys. As soon as the passenger door opened, the thief threw the car in reverse and backed into the car behind him before slamming the car into drive and taking off, dragging the male victim with the car door.

Seeing her boyfriend being drug by the fleeing vehicle, the female produced a handgun and fired one shot, striking the car thief in the face.





The male victim was thrown from the car when it struck another vehicle parked at a gas pump. He fell to the ground and was knocked unconscious.

The fleeing car thief then struck a concrete parking barrier before speeding across the parking lot and crashing into a parked pickup truck, destroying both vehicles in the process.

The thief jumped from the vehicle and fled on foot into Kroger. Unable to find any place to hide, the thief then exited the store through the grocery cart door and attempted to steal the now-crashed Ford Fusion all over again.

The thief crashed the car into a light post and over a curb before the vehicle became disabled and stopped.

The thief tried to flee on foot again, but arriving Ft. Mitchell Police units intercepted him and Chief Rob Nader placed him in handcuffs. Police identified the fleeing car thief as Mark A. West.

West has been indicted by the Kenton County Grand Jury for Receiving Stolen Property (>$1,000), Wanton Endangerment 1st Degree, two counts of Criminal Mischief 1st Degree, and Persistent Felony Offender 1st Degree.





The case was called for trial on 2/4/25 before Kenton Circuit Judge Patricia Summe.

After hearing about West's 10 prior felony convictions in 7 prior cases out of Boone and Grant counties, the jury also convicted West of being a First Degree Persistent Felony Offender and recommended a 60 year sentence.

Because the underlying offenses are all Class D felonies, Kentucky law caps West's sentence at 20 years, despite the much lengthier sentence recommended by the jury.

Kenton County State Attorney Rob Sanders said "The chaos Mr. West inflicted on the Ft. Mitchell Kroger is fortunately very rare in that city, and he's lucky no one was seriously injured or else he'd be spending even more time in prison."












FEBRUARY 7/8, 2025 reports.
Body found near southbound lanes of 71/75 in Fort Mitchell

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A body was found near the southbound lanes of I-71/75 in Fort Mitchell Friday morning, police said.

Fort Mitchell police said officers were called to mile marker 187 at around 10:30 a.m. after a motorist spotted a dead body off along the interstate. When they arrived, police said they found a partially decomposed body of what they believe is a man inside the overgrowth near the southbound lanes.









Rabbit Hash mayoral candidate missing



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One of the former candidates for Mayor of Rabbit Hash is missing.

"We utilized Reaves Recovery and Rescue this morning, but didn't have success. He covered more than 1000 acres with the thermal imaging drone,' wrote Alice Travels on Facebook.

Diezel was last spotted on Hathaway Rd. in Union. "He could have easily gotten into someone's car; he's that sweet. His sister Bella is lost without him, too."









Bellevue police arrest suspect in Wednesday hit-and-run



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The Bellevue Police Department announced an arrest in a Wednesday morning hit-and-run caught on camera.

Police stated that after receiving a tip Thursday morning, officers arrested 71-year-old Patrick Shafer in Covington.

Shafer has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident and failure to render aid, both felonies.









Free cable style gun locks to enhance firearm safety



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Covington residents can now pick up free cable-style gun locks to enhance firearm safety.

This initiative, led by the Covington Human Rights Commission and supported by the Police Department, aims to prevent gun-related injuries and fatalities. Gun locks are available at Covington Police Headquarters, and proof of residency is required.



New deputy of the Boone County Sheriff's Office



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Brian Maines was sworn in as the newest deputy of the Boone County Sheriff's Office.












FEBRUARY 6, 2025 reports.
Update with regard to hit and run in Bellevue yesterday

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This morning after receiving a tip, a male subject was arrested in Covington by the Bellevue Police Department and charged with felony leaving the scene of an accident, failure to render aid.

This is an ongoing investigation and further evidence is still being collected. We have no further information to release at this time.



Bellevue police search for suspect in Wednesday hit and run



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Police in Bellevue are asking for help identifying a car that hit a woman around 4 a.m. Wednesday morning. The car is believed to be a silver vehicle with a hatchback.

They provided surveillance footage of the incident.

It shows the car striking a woman on a scooter in the 100 block of Fairfield Avenue then driving away once the woman sits up and begins screaming.
















Bellevue Police |
Boone County Police |
Campbell County Police |
Covington Police Department |
Covington Professional Firefighters Local 38 |
Erlanger Fire/EMS Department |
Florence Police Department |
Fort Mitchell Fire |
Fort Wright Fire Department |
Independence Fire District |
Kenton County Police Department |
Kentucky Transportation |
Kentucky State Police (Dry Ridge) |
Kentucky State Police |
Newport Police Department |
Newport Fire Department |
Northern KY SWAT |
Taylor Mill Firefighters Association |
Ryland Heights Fire and EMS |
Villa Hills Police |
Villa Hills Fire |
Wilder Fire Department |