A shooting involving a Henderson County Sheriff’s deputy is now under review by a special prosecutor.
No life-threatening injuries were reported, and no names have been released.
Kevin Grout, a spokesman for the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, said Commonwealth’s Attorney Mike Van Meter has been appointed special prosecutor in the case. Van Meter is the commonwealth’s attorney in Daviess County.
When contacted by the Hendersonian, Van Meter said, “The case is under review and investigation.”
Van Meter said no court dates have been scheduled.
Henderson County Sheriff Chip Stauffer said the deputy is on “administrative duty, handling projects within the sheriff’s office” pending the outcome of the investigation.
The shooting occurred just before midnight on July 10.
According to the Henderson Police Department, which handled the initial investigation, the sheriff’s deputy spotted a vehicle that had allegedly fled the scene of a traffic stop conducted by city officers.
The deputy attempted to stop the car near Greenleaf Market on U.S. 60-East. However, the vehicle did not stop. A pursuit began with both vehicles traversing the roundabouts.
Neither driver maintained control, and the vehicles collided, coming to a stop, an HPD news release said.
The deputy exited his vehicle in an attempt to arrest the other driver. HPD officials said that’s when that driver allegedly accelerated the vehicle in the direction of the deputy, apparently attempting to flee the scene, officials said. The deputy shot at the vehicle which was traveling east on U.S. 60.
HPD and HCSO officials did not chase the vehicle, but instead began the investigation into who may have been driving, according to a news release.
On July 11, city police said a woman sought medical treatment at a local hospital for a non life-threatening gunshot wound.
When contacted by authorities, the woman said she was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a police chase the night before. She said she was shot during the incident.
Also on July 11, officers with the Owensboro Police Department arrested the driver of the vehicle on a warrant connected to his parole, Henderson police officials said.
Jonathon Greene, 33, Henderson, was subsequently charged in Henderson County on two counts of first-degree fleeing/evading police (motor vehicle), one count of driving on a suspended/revoked license, expired registration plates and being a first-degree persistent felony offender.
He was lodged at the Henderson County Detention Center Aug. 12. He remains there under a $3,500 bond.
According to records filed in the Henderson Judicial Center, the case against Greene was presented to a Henderson County Grand Jury on Aug. 7. He was indicted on the above offenses.
His trial date has been scheduled for Jan. 30 in Henderson Circuit Court.
Another deputy-involved shooting occurred a month earlier on June 9 in Corydon when HCSO Deputy Edward Rainey fatally shot Charles Powell, Jr., after Powell wielded a machete and refused to obey orders to drop it. Van Meter reviewed a Kentucky State Police investigation and found that Rainey was justified in his actions.
