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I-65 North rest area near Horse Cave named best in the state

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Folks traveling south this Memorial Day weekend can stop at the best maintained rest stop in Kentucky on the way home.

The northbound Interstate 65 rest area near Horse Cave in Hart County was presented with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Best Maintained Rest Area Award this week, the first time in the 24-year history of the award the Hart County location has been honored.

Transportation cabinet judges select the award recipient based on seven categories that are scored during unannounced quarterly inspections of all of the state’s rest areas. The Hart County location received perfect scores for its family restroom, lobby, and staff.

The transportation cabinet says the Hart County rest area is one of the largest such facilities in the state with more than 100 parking spaces, handicap-accessible and pet-friendly areas, and stocked vending machines and picnic areas.

Community Services Project Inc. operates Kentucky’s rest areas. The nonprofit employs about 400 disabled workers. CSP and employees of Department of Highways District Four were presented with certificates this week in recognition of the award.

Magnolia man arrested after sting operation

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A joint law enforcement effort led to a LaRue County man’s arrest Monday.

“On Monday evening, we were contacted by a group of private citizens from out of state who are part of an organization who creates fake social media accounts and portrays themselves as a juvenile to identify child predators,” said Elizabethtown Police Department Public Information Officer Chris Denham. “They had been conducting an independent investigation and had contact with 54-year-old Brian Warren of Magnolia. Warren agreed to meet with what he thought was a juvenile female at the Elizabethtown Nature Park. Once at the nature park, Warren was greeted by members of this organization and shortly thereafter our officers, instead of the juvenile female he desired.”

Denham says the investigation found that Warren had images of a “very young juvenile female” on his phone.

“He was arrested and charged with Distribution of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor Under 12 Years of Age,” Denham said. “He was lodged in the Hardin County Detention Center.”

The investigation is ongoing.

Two in Meade County arrested after fleeing police; Oklahoma man killed in BGP accident

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Two wanted fugitives were arrested in Meade County Wednesday.

According to the Meade County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 10 a.m. on May 22 detectives attempted to stop the vehicle of Anthony Stout, who immediately fled from the detectives on Flaherty Road. Stout and his passenger Tabitha Scrogham both had outstanding arrest warrants out of Meade County Court.

The suspects drove to a mobile home park near Sandy Lane. After driving around the park several times as they attempted to evade detectives, the suspects traveled down Sandridge Road and parked behind a radio tower site where they attempted to flee on foot before being apprehended. A search of the vehicle revealed a 9 mm handgun along with “numerous suspected drugs and paraphernalia.”

Stout and Scrogham face multiple charges including first degree Fleeing and Evading Motor Vehicle, enhanced first degree Possession of a Controlled Substance, and three counts of first degree Wanton Endangerment, among other charges. Both were lodged in the Meade County Detention Center.

Meanwhile, the Kentucky State Police is investigating a motorcycle crash on the Bluegrass Parkway that resulted in the death of an Oklahoma man.

The KSP says shortly after 2 p.m. on May 21 Post Four troopers were advised of a single-vehicle collision near the 34 mile marker on the Bluegrass Parkway in Nelson County. The preliminary investigation indicates that 58-year-old Kevin Long of Norman, Oklahoma, was traveling east on the parkway when for unknown reasons he exited the shoulder of the roadway and was ejected.

Long was pronounced dead at the scene by the Nelson County Coroner’s Office. The crash investigation remains ongoing.

Drivers reminded to use seatbelts and car seats during Click It or Ticket enforcement

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Area law enforcement agencies are reminding area residents to buckle up this Memorial Day weekend.

Several area agencies are participating in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration‘s annual Click It or Ticket high-visibility enforcement effort, which runs now through June 4. The campaign aims to increase seatbelt use with traffic safety checkpoints and saturation patrols.

The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety says of the 512 vehicle occupants that were killed in roadway deaths across the commonwealth last year, 268 were either not wearing a seatbelt or were not properly restrained in a car seat or a booster seat. Seven of the 512 killed were children aged nine or younger.

The NHTSA says that when worn correctly seatbelts reduce the risk of death for front seat vehicle passengers by 45 percent, and for pickup truck, SUV, and minivan occupants by 60 percent. Properly-secured child or booster seats reduce the risk of death for infants by 71 percent and for toddlers by 54 percent.

More information can be found at nhtsa.gov.