The Boone County, Kentucky Sheriff’s Department is investigating the fatal shooting of a teenage driver over the weekend by a deputy who claims the deceased was attempting to run him over.
Deputy Tyler Brockman shot Samantha Ramsey, 19, of Covington, Kentucky, just after 2 a.m. Saturday, as she was leaving a bonfire party in a field along the Ohio River. A dash cam video recorded from Brockman’s cruiser depicts the deputy approaching Ramsey’s car, but didn’t capture the shooting. Brockman stated that after ordering Ramsey to stop her car, the teen accelerated, causing the deputy to roll over her hood and hit the windshield. One of Ramsey’s passengers, Chelsey Pendleton, claims that Brockman had willingly jumped onto the hood of the car from the side of the vehicle.
Boone County Sheriff’s Department Spokesman Tom Scheben commented that deputies are trained to “protect themselves first” when suspects approach them with vehicles. Scheben adds that the investigation will be turned over to Commonwealth’s Attorney Linda Tally Smith, who will ultimately decide whether to refer the case to a grand jury. Statements will be taken from Ramsey’s passengers, as well as from witnesses who were at the party.
Here is the full dash cam footage from Brockman’s cruiser:
Pendleton’s mother Donna said that as her daughter was sitting in the back seat behind Ramsey, “She heard pop, pop, and she ducked. Then she heard pop, pop, and there was a bullet right where she (had been). If she had not have ducked, it would have been worse for her.”
Ramsey had been convicted of drunk driving in Kenton County, Kentucky in August, and her license was suspended for 120 days. Kentucky considers anyone under 21 with a blood-alcohol level of 0.02 or greater to be legally drunk.
Brockman was treated for a leg injury the morning of the shooting, which will be considered in the investigation, which is still pending lab results.
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