High-speed pursuit ends in fatal crash on I-64 near Frankfort

Kentucky State Police troopers requested the KSP Critical Incident Response Team after a high-speed pursuit that ended in a fatal crash in Franklin County on Saturday morning. The crash occurred about 9:16 a.m. on I-64 near the 50-mile marker after a vehicle crossed the median and struck an eastbound commercial motor vehicle.

The pursuit began when KSP Post 7 in Richmond and the Berea Police Department attempted a traffic stop on a grey Honda Civic matching the description of a homicide suspect wanted from Georgia. The vehicle failed to yield and fled northbound on I-75, reportedly reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour before turning westbound onto I-64. Post 12 Frankfort troopers picked up the pursuit as it entered Franklin County. Law enforcement made multiple attempts to end the chase using tire deflation devices. The Honda crossed the median and collided with a commercial vehicle at roughly the 50-mile marker.

The operator of the commercial vehicle, Marcus Boughten, 50, of Waco, Texas, was uninjured. The operator of the Honda Civic was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Franklin County Coroner. Because of the nature of the crash, authorities have not been able to positively identify the suspect. KSP said the investigation remains ongoing.

Several agencies assisted in the multi-county response: Berea Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Lexington Police Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the KSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit. The deployment of the Critical Incident Response Team underscores the seriousness of the collision and the need for a thorough, coordinated inquiry.

For Owsley County residents, the episode carries practical implications. High-speed interstate pursuits routinely cross county lines and can place rural drivers and long-distance truckers at risk on stretches of road that many locals use for work and travel. The use of tire deflation devices and the dynamics that caused a vehicle to cross a median raise questions about pursuit tactics, public safety protocols, and how agencies weigh the risks of a chase against the need to apprehend a suspect.

Local officials and state troopers are the primary actors in setting and enforcing pursuit policy; transparency about the investigative findings will be important for public confidence. Residents concerned about roadside safety and interagency coordination should expect an after-action report and can raise these issues with their county and state representatives, who oversee law enforcement policy priorities.

The takeaway? Stay informed when you travel the interstates, ask your public officials for clear explanations of pursuit rules and safety safeguards, and push for community dialogue so policy decisions reflect the safety needs of rural drivers and truckers. Our two cents? When a chase crosses county lines, it becomes everyone's business.