LMPD Police Chief Steve Conrad said second division Detective Deidre Mengedoht, 32, had her emergency lights on as she conducted a traffic stop on a pickup truck with four people inside in the right lane of I-64 East. That's when an MSD driver, identified as 60-year-old Roger Burdette, crashed into her cruiser, pushing it into another vehicle. The cruiser went up in flames with Mengedoht trapped inside. No one else was severely injured in the crash.

 

So awful. Single mother with 7+ years on the job. The truck driver was charged with DUI and murder. Story below.

 

Man charged with murder, DUI in connection with fiery crash on I-64 that killed LMPD officer | News | wdrb.com

There really are no words...what a terrible, terrible loss.

I will never, ever understand drinking and driving.

 

Such a sad story.

Didn't the driver work for some City department?

 

Drunk driving at work on Christmas Eve...:no:

 

Unimaginable what her family and especially children are going through.

 

Prayers for all involved, such a tragedy.

Didn't the driver work for some City department?

 

Drunk driving at work on Christmas Eve...:no:

 

Unimaginable what her family and especially children are going through.

 

Prayers for all involved, such a tragedy.

 

MSD is Metro Sewer District.

MSD is Metro Sewer District.

 

I saw MSD referenced several times and figured it was something like that...thanks.

The driver entered a not guilty plea to murder and DUI today. He admitted to police that he had taken several prescription pills before driving. The judge refused to reduce his 200k bond.

I'm surprised there hasn't been any more talk in the news about his previous driving record. If there has been I haven't seen anything.

 

Terrible loss, prayers for LMPD and Detective Mengedoht's family. Never an easy time to lose a family member but I can't imagine a worse time than the day before Christmas.

I'm surprised there hasn't been any more talk in the news about his previous driving record. If there has been I haven't seen anything.

 

Terrible loss, prayers for LMPD and Detective Mengedoht's family. Never an easy time to lose a family member but I can't imagine a worse time than the day before Christmas.

 

I read--I think it was on the WDRB website -- that the only thing on his driving record was an arrest in 1998 in Meade County for DUI with a reading of .089 reading (.009) over the limit which was amended to a lesser, non-DUI charge. With so little traffic it baffles me how he could not have seen the stopped vehicles. From what I've read it is unclear whether he was taking the proper dosage for his prescription meds or taking an increased amount.

I read--I think it was on the WDRB website -- that the only thing on his driving record was an arrest in 1998 in Meade County for DUI with a reading of .089 reading (.009) over the limit which was amended to a lesser, non-DUI charge. With so little traffic it baffles me how he could not have seen the stopped vehicles. From what I've read it is unclear whether he was taking the proper dosage for his prescription meds or taking an increased amount.

 

That's what I was wondering about. Legal limit in Kentucky was .100 and below prior to around 2005 I believe. As far as the increased dosage or therapeutic dosage, that's definitely a very real possibility. What's really unfortunate and frustrating is that this type of behavior/driving happens a lot but the public doesn't see it until it ends in tragedy like this one did.

I read--I think it was on the WDRB website -- that the only thing on his driving record was an arrest in 1998 in Meade County for DUI with a reading of .089 reading (.009) over the limit which was amended to a lesser, non-DUI charge. With so little traffic it baffles me how he could not have seen the stopped vehicles. From what I've read it is unclear whether he was taking the proper dosage for his prescription meds or taking an increased amount.

 

Most pills that can impair advise on the side to not operate heavy machinery when taking. So even if it was the prescribed dose, he still shouldn’t have driven, if in fact the pills were something that could impair.

Most pills that can impair advise on the side to not operate heavy machinery when taking. So even if it was the prescribed dose, he still shouldn’t have driven, if in fact the pills were something that could impair.

 

This! Even if he took his prescription pills as prescribed, there are adequate warnings. Not an excuse at all.

 

God bless our police officers.

This! Even if he took his prescription pills as prescribed, there are adequate warnings. Not an excuse at all.

 

God bless our police officers.

 

I can’t tell ya how many times I’ve had to explain to someone that a 2,000 lb car is heavy machinery.

Most pills that can impair advise on the side to not operate heavy machinery when taking. So even if it was the prescribed dose, he still shouldn’t have driven, if in fact the pills were something that could impair.

 

It amazes me how many people think just because it is prescribed it is OK to drive while taking. There are usually warnings on the bottle and written instructions. I know in the ER we give verbal and written instructions not to drive while taking medications that can inpair in addition to whatever the pharmacy gives.

Prayers for the officers family and especially her little boy.

Louisville City FC midfielder Niall McCabe is auctioning off a signed jersey to benefit a fund set up for Det. Mengedoht's son. It's been up a day and the bidding is over $1,000 already and will continue into next week.

 

McCabe is, I believe, one of the last two Lou City players that's been with the team ever since the beginning (GK Greg Ranjitsingh). He's an Irishman who'd never even been to Kentucky before coming to play for the team but married a local girl and had a son and made a home for himself in Louisville. It's a nice gesture by an adopted son of the River City.

 

Louisville City FC player raising money for late detective's son | whas11.com

 

The world can be ugly. Sport at its best sometimes makes it a little less ugly.