State Police have identified the trooper who was involved in a fatal shooting on Greenville Road early Monday morning. According to Kentucky State Police, Trooper Paul Hale, a three year veteran of KSP, has been placed on administrative leave, pursuant to their policy.
Just before 12:25 a.m. Monday, KSP Post 2 in Madisonville received a call from the Christian County Sheriff’s Office requesting their assistance regarding a complaint of a suspicious vehicle at the intersection of Meacham Road and Greenville Road, with the operator slumped over the steering wheel.
When deputies and Trooper Hale arrived on the scene, police say they discovered the vehicle was stolen from Akron, Ohio. When they made contact with the suspect, 44-year old Damon Christopher Gayheart of Owensboro, he became uncooperative and the Trooper Hale tried to remove him from the vehicle. Gayheart then reportedly began to flee, dragging Hale until he was able to free himself.
Deputies and Trooper Hale pursued the vehicle for several miles southbound on Greenville Road when, for unknown reasons, the vehicle caught fire and became fully engulfed. During the interaction at the end of the pursuit, Gayheart was fatally shot by Trooper Hale. Gayheart was pronounced dead at the scene by the Christain County Coroner.
The investigation is ongoing by the KSP Critical Incident Response Team.
