LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Shelbyville Police Officer was killed in a hit-and-run while riding a motorcycle in Okolona and police say the woman who hit him fled the scene.
28-year-old Ashley Catlett was arrested Wednesday morning and identified as the driver of the car involved in the hit-and-run Tuesday morning.
Officers with Louisville Metro Police Department's 7th Division responded to a collision near the intersection of Outer Loop and Minor Lane involving a car and a motorcycle around 3 a.m. Tuesday.
Police say it appears Catlett tried to take an opposing left turn in her car, striking the off-duty officer who was on his motorcycle.
The Shelbyville Police Department and the Jefferson County Coroner confirmed the officer's identity as Thomas Elmore.
He had only been with the department for nearly a year. A photo from the department's Facebook page shows Elmore, in the middle of the photo wearing a suit jacket, being sworn in on Dec. 6, 2021.
In a press release, Shelbyville Police Department said Elmore had joined the department after working with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and the Louisville Metro Police Department.
LMPD said witnesses told police that after the collision, the woman operating the vehicle exited her car and fled the scene on foot.
Elmore was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Sergeant Kelly Cable, spokesperson for the Shelbyville Police Department, said he didn't expect to start his day learning about the death of a coworker, a friend.
"We lost a really good officer, a really good officer,” Cable said. "He was a people person. He knew how to talk to people. He knew how to get along with people, how to de-escalate situations, but he also had lots of information regarding law enforcement and so he was a good role model for a lot of our newer officers."
Cable says he knows how much Elmore enjoyed unwinding from a long day of work by hitting the road on his motorcycle.
"For officers like him, a lot of times they like to take advantage of the beautiful weather,” Cable said. “They like to ride their motorcycles, especially at night, I know that's fun for a lot of them."
To know Elmore died doing what he loved gives Cable just a little comfort, and he imagines it does for others who loved him.
"Maybe, for some people, they would say that's the best way to go - doing something that you love,” he said. “But it still doesn't make it easier for anybody.”
Cable says his heart goes out to Elmore's family, the community and every officer who knew him.
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