Local News Wednesday January 25, 2012

An Eastern KY community is mourning the loss of a law enforcement officer. 

Pike County Sheriff's Deputy James I. Thacker died while on duty after a car crash Monday night near Marrowbone on U.S. 460.

Sheriff Fuzzy Keesee says Thacker was serving papers on his way home to Elkhorn City when the wreck happened.

State police say an SUV, driven by 47 year old David Childers of Ashcamp, hit Thacker head on.

Another vehicle also hit the cars after the collision.

State police say David Childers went to Pikeville Medical Center on Monday night after the crash. There is no word on his condition.

Police also  say the people in the third car involved in the crash were not injured.

State police are still investigating what caused Childers to allegedly lose control and cause the crash.

Troopers are reconstructing the wreck on US-460.

Keesee says Thacker joined the department just last year but served as a constable for four years before becoming a Sheriff's Deputy.

A Pike County Sheriff's cruiser now sits in front of the courthouse, draped in black and a wreath on top in memory of 53 year old James I. Thacker.

Visitation for Thacker starts tonight at The Community Funeral home in Coon Creek. His funeral is Friday at 1:00 at East Ridge High School.

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A Johnson County business has been robbed for the second time in less than two weeks.

The VIP Fuels Store at the junction of Route 1428 and U.S. 23 in Paintsville was robbed again Tuesday morning.

Police say an unidentified man came into the store armed with a knife and demanded money.

The man was wearing a green sweat shirt, blue jeans, and had a white scarf covering his face.

The suspect left in a stolen 2003 Chevrolet pickup and was traveling east on Kentucky Route 1428.

Officials say it's possible that both robberies are connected.

Anyone with information should call the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office or State Police.

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A trial date is set for a Perry County woman charged with murder and attempted murder.

In June of last year, 42-year-old Sarah Melton allegedly shot and killed Cindy Caudill and her own brother Kirby with one shot.  She shot them as they rode away on an ATV.

The Hazard-Herald reports that Melton's trial is now scheduled for June.

Attorneys asked for more time to review Melton's state of mind on the day of the shooting.

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Local law enforcement spent Tuesday morning rounding up alleged criminals in Perry, Knott, and Leslie Counties.

Kentucky State Police, Hazard PD, and the Perry County Sherrif's Department were looking for people with outstanding warrants on various charges.

The warrants varied from indictment warrants for child support, assault, and drug charges and various other things according to Tony Watts with the KSP.

In all, they were looking to serve a total of thirty warrants in all three counties.

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Five days have passed and 19 families in the Floyd County community in Hi-Hat are still trapped.

Crews continue to re-build a bridge that was washed away by flooding last Friday, but until a new bridge is built the folks living on Tunnel Road have to walk 3 miles in order to leave their homes.

No date has been put on completion of the bridge. 

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A new report on Kentucky coal by an environmental group is urging lawmakers to consider the full human health impacts of mining, burning and disposing of the state's primary energy source.

The report from the Kentucky Environmental Foundation says coal negatively affects the health of people who live and work near mines, power plants and coal waste disposal areas.

The report advocates alternative sources of energy, like solar, wind and hydroelectric power.

Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, a Louisville Democrat, has sponsored a bill that would require utilities to generate a portion of their power from renewable sources.