Tennessee man indicted for death of police officer, possession of drugs

Nita Johnson, The Sentinel Echo, London, Ky.
·2 min read
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Nov. 18—The man charged with causing the death of London Police Officer Logan Medlock was indicted by a Laurel grand jury Friday.

Casey Preston Byrd, 36, of Racoon Road in Oneida, TN, was named in a five-count indictment charging him with murder, two counts of first-degree criminal mischief, first-degree possession of controlled substance and operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants. His bond remains at $1 million cash.

Byrd was driving a Dodge Ram pickup truck and ran the intersection of Barbourville Street, which T's off to South Main Street, and struck London Police Officer Logan Medlock's police cruiser in the driver's side door just before 1 a.m. on October 30. The impact sent both vehicles off the roadway into the A.R. Dyche Memorial Cemetery. Medlock was pronounced deceased at the scene. Byrd was uninjured in the crash.

During Byrd's preliminary hearing earlier this month, Kentucky State Police Trooper Steve Walker testified that Byrd was driving at 51 miles per hour in a 35 mph zone when the collision took place. He also said Byrd's breathalyzer test showed his blood alcohol level at .294, which is nearly four times over the legal limit for driving in the state of Kentucky. Byrd's blood tests showed at .293 level. Walker also testified that Byrd's eyes were glassy and that he required assistance walking to the police cruiser as he was being placed under arrest.

The criminal mischief charges derive from two gravestones that were knocked off their bases and damaged when the two vehicles slid into the cemetery. The indictment states that the damages to the gravestones exceeded $1,000 — thus causing the charge to be first-degree level.

Byrd was also in possession of Methodone at the time of the crash. He had reportedly been watching the Kentucky-Tennessee football game at a friend's home and left the residence and was then involved in the fatal crash.

Readers are reminded that an indictment is a formal charge by a grand jury and is not a conviction or admission of guilt.