Kentucky News Now – July 27th 2015

AMUSEMENT PARK ACCIDENT

12 people injured in amusement park ride accident

(Information in the following story is from: Daily News, http://www.bgdailynews.com)

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — Authorities say at least 12 people were injured when a swing ride at an amusement park in Bowling Green, Kentucky, tipped over.

The Daily News reports emergency officials were dispatched to Beech Bend Amusement Park around 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Sandi Feria, a spokeswoman for The Medical Center in Bowling Green, told The Associated Press on Sunday that 12 people have been treated and released from the hospital. She didn't have their ages, but according to media reports some were believed to be children.

Warren County Sheriff's Office spokesman Stephen Harmon couldn't confirm the ages, but he said the accident is being investigated. He said the state agency that oversees amusement park rides has been notified.

SHOOTING DEATH

Authorities make another arrest in fatal shooting

(Information in the following story is from: WHAS-TV, http://www.whas11.com)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Authorities have made another arrest in connection with a man's murder at an apartment complex in St. Matthews.

According to WHAS-TV, 19-year-old Austin Priddy was arrested on Saturday in the death of 24-year-old Miguel Macias, who was found dead July 17 inside an apartment unit. Officials say he died from a gunshot wound.

Priddy's charges include murder, robbery in the first degree and tampering with physical evidence.

Authorities say he's the third person arrested in the case, which remains under investigation.

WOMAN ARRESTED

Laurel County woman facing endangerment, DUI charges

(Information in the following story is from: WKYT-TV, http://www.wkyt.com)

LONDON, Ky. (AP) — Authorities say a Laurel County woman who was arrested for driving under the influence with a child in her lap is facing multiple charges.

According to WKYT-TV, deputies went to the home of 30-year-old Christina Conley on Friday and discovered that she had left five other children alone in the house they described as filthy. Inside the residence were sharp open food containers, dog feces on the floor and spoiled meat in the refrigerator.

Authorities also found evidence that Conley had stolen some property.

Her charges include wanton endangerment, DUI, receiving stolen property and possession of burglary tools.

She was being held Sunday in the Laurel County Correctional Center on $5,000 bond. It was unclear if she has a lawyer.

PEDESTRIAN KILLED

Police investigating death of pedestrian in Adair County

COLUMBIA, Ky. (AP) — Police are investigating the death of a pedestrian who was struck by a van in Adair County.

According to a news release from Kentucky State Police, 27-year-old Tyler L. Brower of Somerset was walking in a roadway east of Columbia when he was hit by the van around 1:18 a.m. Sunday. Brower was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police say the driver of the van, 53-year-old Rickie L. Collins of Powell, Tennessee, had just come over a hill when he hit Brower in the westbound lane.

An autopsy is scheduled for Monday at the State Medical Examiner's office in Louisville, Kentucky.

DISABILITY-LAWYERS

Disability hearings create crush of demand for attorneys

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A federal review of 1,500 Social Security benefit awards has created a crushing demand for attorneys in eastern Kentucky.

The Social Security Administration is reviewing the benefits awarded to clients of attorney Eric Conn because of suspected fraud. Those cases are likely headed to hearings before administrative law judges that could start as soon as September.

Most of the people being reviewed say they cannot afford an attorney. The Appalachian Research and Defense Fund of Kentucky has received requests from 400 people so far asking for representation. Executive Director Robert Johns said it is an unprecedented level of demand that has caused the agency to scramble to find attorneys.

Attorneys in the cases likely will not be paid. Johns said so far about 80 attorneys have volunteered to help.

FLOODING-POLICE HELP

Lexington police travel to Johnson County for flooding help

(Information in the following story is from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com)

FLATGAP, Ky. (AP) — Lexington police officers and other public safety workers are in eastern Kentucky to help flooding victims clean up damaged homes and muddied property.

The group was organized by the First Responders Missional Community, which assists public safety officials and other people in need after natural disasters.

Lexington police detective Steven Cobb told the Herald-Leader that he and about 25 other public safety personnel and volunteers would work at Paul Stapleton's home until Sunday.

Stapleton's home in Johnson County was flooded up to his waist. He rescued his brother and sister-in-law with a boat, but had about $100,000 worth of damage to his property, which was not insured.

OLD REMAINS

Remains found in Franklin Co. are very old Native American

(Information in the following story is from: The State Journal, http://www.state-journal.com)

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Officials in Franklin County have determined that human remains found on a farm this week are from a Native American who died at least 1,000 years ago.

Franklin County Coroner Will Harrod says the remains are from a Native American indigenous to the area dating from between 1,000 to 3,000 years ago.

Harrod told The State Journal in Frankfort that he noted several physical characteristics to make the determination. The skull, for instance, was flat-faced and the teeth were extremely worn down.

Investigators had to initially treat the scene as a homicide.

The Franklin County Coroner's Office will work with the Kentucky Heritage Council and the State Historical Preservation Office to replace the remains at the site, which is now an archaeological dig.

AUTOMATED BOURBON WAREHOUSE

New Buffalo Trace warehouse uses robotics to sort liquor

(Information in the following story is from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com)

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Buffalo Trace distillery has a new warehouse that uses robotics for an automated storage and retrieval system. It is thought to be the first distillery in the state to use the technology, which was part of a $20 million investment.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the new 83,000-square-foot warehouse was unveiled on Friday.

Pallets of boxed liquor are sorted by the system, then three cranes organize them into rows of bourbon, vodka, gin, and other spirits. When an order comes in for a pallet, the robot crane retrieves it. The system was installed by Westfalia Technologies.

The company is building another larger warehouse at its Glenmore Distillery in Owensboro.