Perry County, Ky – A Perry County man is behind bars after a 16‑mile police chase ended in a crash. Kentucky State Police say it started Tuesday afternoon when troopers tried to stop a pickup in the Combs community for traffic violations. Instead, they say the driver, 49‑year‑old Ance Collins of Krypton, took off, hitting police cruisers multiple times during the pursuit. The chase ended on Briar Fork Road when the truck went into a ditch and became disabled. Collins faces numerous charges, including first‑degree wanton endangerment of a police officer, fleeing or evading police, reckless driving, and multiple traffic offenses.
Clay County, Ky – A Clay County man is charged with arson after a fire inside a local Dollar General store. Deputies say 44‑year‑old Woodson Roark started the blaze March 1 at the Dollar General on South Highway 421, using a butane canister to ignite items in an aisle. The fire caused significant damage to the store and merchandise, and investigators say surveillance video shows Roark setting the fire. He is charged with arson, wanton endangerment and criminal mischief.
Perry County, Ky – The Perry County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a murder after a man was found dead Tuesday morning. Deputies were called around 10 a.m. to an altercation at the Bubby Combs apartments on Darfork Road, where they found Ryan Huff with a gunshot wound to the chest; he was pronounced dead at the scene. Resident Donnie Napier says he heard loud arguing, then a single gunshot, and rushed outside to try CPR but says Huff was already gone. Investigators say a murder warrant has been issued for Danny Harold Asher, also known as “Blue,” whose last known address is in Bonnyman.
Letcher County, Ky – A last-minute settlement has ended a civil lawsuit against former Letcher County deputy Ben Fields, brought by a woman who said he demanded sex in exchange for leniency while she was on home incarceration. Plaintiff Sabrina Adkins alleged Fields coerced her into a sexual relationship by threatening her freedom if she did not comply. Court records show potential jurors were already in the courtroom for jury selection Tuesday when lawyers told the judge they had reached a deal, but no settlement terms have been made public. Fields previously pleaded guilty in state court to third-degree rape, third-degree sodomy, tampering with a prisoner monitoring device and second-degree perjury, and was sentenced to six months in jail.