One of the four people involved in a 2019 carjacking at the Hopkinsville Wal-Mart that led to a police chase and the shooting of a Hopkinsville police officer has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.
Keith Kuzyk of Clarksville was given the sentence Friday by Senior District Court Judge Thomas B. Russell. There will be three years of supervised release following the sentence.
U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman said “this lawlessness will not be tolerated in the Western District of Kentucky.” He added that anyone who puts families and law enforcement at risk through armed carjacking and shooting at a police officer should be prepared to face decades in prison.
Kuzyk has pled guilty to carjacking, use and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm in U.S. District Court in August. He was knowingly a felon in possession of a firearm having been previously convicted of Aggravated Assault and Evading Arrest, Theft over $1,000, and First Degree Possession of a Controlled Substance — all felonies.
Kuzyk was also indicted by the Christian County grand jury on charges of attempted murder of a police officer, first-degree assault, fleeing or evading police, wanton endangerment, auto theft, receiving stolen property, and being a persistent felony offender.
A co-defendant in the case, Anthony Johnson, also Clarksville, was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to carjacking charges in federal court last month.
Two sisters were also charged in the case. Autumn Neblett of Palmyra, Tennessee pled guilty to facilitation to robbery, possession of a firearm by a felon, and felony receiving stolen property in Christian County Circuit Court last month and was sentenced to seven years in jail.
September Neblett of Clarksville was given a five-year sentence in Christian County earlier this month on facilitation to robbery and felony receiving property. She will be eligible for shock probation.
The charges stem from a carjacking at the Hopkinsville Wal-Mart on February 18, 2019. A woman called 911 reporting that masked gunmen stole her Chevy Tahoe. At least three suspects in a Dodge Ram were also believed to be involved.
While attempting to stop the suspect’s vehicle later that day, Hopkinsville police used spike sticks to slow the Ram.
Kuzyk fired multiple shots at Officer Jeremy Davidson, hitting him in the arm and grazing his head. Police arrested Autumn Neblett a short time later after she was found in a baseball field dugout on the campus of University Heights Academy. Kuzyk, Johnson, and September Neblett were able to flee to Montgomery County and were arrested later that night.
