Police say suspect stole, crashed car

        FLORENCE — A Covington man caused a three-car crash Monday, police say, while speeding and driving drunk on Interstate 75 in a car he stole from a gas station parking lot.

        Walter Ray Scott, 25, of Covington is accused of stealing a 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier from a Demossville woman at the Walton Citgo Station at 8 p.m.

        Police said Mr. Scott shoved the woman, who was returning to her idling car after withdrawing money from an automated teller machine.

CRASH HURTS OFFICER: Covington Police Spc. George Russell (left) and Fort Wright Officer Marc Schworer study the scene of an accident Tuesday that injured Covington Officer Steve Gifford. Officer Gifford's patrol car collided on Ky. 17 with an industrial pickup driven by Todd Finke, who said he was not hurt. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

        Florence police spotted the stolen car going north on I-75 at 90 mph before it crashed near the Turfway interchange.

        The stolen car struck a Geo Storm, which then hit a tractor-trailer. Both the Cavalier and Geo Storm hit the concrete median barrier wall.

        Kelly Spitznagel, 18, of Owenton, Ky., was treated for a broken bone at St. Luke West Hospital, police said. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured.

        Mr. Scott was treated at St. Luke West before being taken to Boone County jail, where he was being held Tuesday morning. Bond had not yet been set.

        Florence police have charged Mr. Scott with second-degree robbery, first-degree wanton endangerment, receiving stolen property and driving under the influence, second offense.
       

Two held after botched bank robbery

        HIGHLAND HEIGHTS — Two men were arrested Tuesday after a botched bank robbery occurred in Peach Grove.

        The two men, whom police hadn't identified late Tuesday, attempted to rob the United Kentucky Bank of Pendleton County at 1:30 p.m. on AA Highway (Ky. 9), said Trooper Mike Keeney, spokesman for state police Post 6.

        The men fled before they received any cash, he said.

        No one was injured and no shots were fired.

        Highland Heights police arrested the two after a short car chase. They had spotted the pair in a Nissan Pathfinder.

        Police said they found weapons inside the vehicle.

        Highland Heights police, state police and the FBI were investigating the incident Tuesday. Authorities had not filed charges late Tuesday.
       

Cause undetermined in $1M marina fire

        WARSAW, Ky. — The state fire marshal was at the scene Tuesday morning of a fire that sank more than a dozen boats at Pier 99 Marina in Gallatin County.

        The cause had not been determined, according to state police Post 5 in LaGrange.

        The overnight fire caused an estimated $1 million in damage and a substantial gasoline spill on Craig's Creek.

        There was no estimate on how much fuel was spilled. The Warsaw-Gallatin County Fire Chief could not be reached for comment.
       

Heart-transplant patient improving

        LEXINGTON — A 21-year-old Northern Kentucky University student continues to improve following a heart transplant Sunday at the University of Kentucky Medical Center.

        Ryan Drake is in critical condition and in the intensive-care unit, said Maureen McArthur, a spokeswoman for the hospital. She said Mr. Drake is still on a ventilator, but his condition has stabilized, and he is conscious and responding to voices.

        Mr. Drake, son of David L. and Kathy Drake of Independence, was diagnosed several years ago with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a thickening of the heart muscle.
       

Prosecutor suggests teacher serve 4 years

        GREENVILLE, Ky. — A prosecutor has recommended a four-year prison sentence for a Muhlenberg County teacher who pleaded guilty to having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student.

        Carin S. Newman, 31, an eighth-grade math teacher at Muhlenberg South Middle School, pleaded guilty Friday to four counts each of third-degree rape and third-degree sodomy with the unidentified male student.

        The sexual contact occurred between Nov. 4 and Nov. 12, according to an indictment returned by a Muhlenberg County grand jury.

        Commonwealth's Attorney Ralph Vick recommended a four-year sentence on each of the eight charges with the sentences to be served at the same time.

        Circuit Judge David Jernigan set formal sentencing for March 12.

        Ms. Newman's attorney, Brent Yonts of Greenville, declined to discuss Ms. Newman's relationship with the student. Mr. Yonts said his client had no prior criminal history. He said she was a strong candidate for probation.
       

Day-care operator avoids jail time

        RICHMOND — The former operator of a closed day-care center was fined $250 for his role in a sex-abuse case, to the dismay of parents who think their children were abused at the center.

        Anthony Q. Portis, former operator of Lighthouse Child Care Center, was fined Monday after his lawyers reached a deal with prosecutors for reduced charges.

        The agreement came as jurors were about to be selected for his trial Monday. Instead of facing misdemeanor charges of criminal abuse and facilitating criminal abuse — which each carry a maximum of a year in jail — Mr. Portis was allowed to plead guilty to misdemeanor “facilitation of menacing” and escape the possibility of jail time.

        Mr. Portis' attorneys said after the hearing that their client is innocent, but agreed to the plea to put the nearly two-year episode behind him.
       

Soldier's killers properly sentenced

        Two men who shot a Fort Campbell soldier while robbing a convenience store on the Army post were properly sentenced to 40 years in prison, even though they pleaded guilty to a crime with a lesser penalty, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in Cincinnati ruled Tuesday.

        Michael Alonzo was shot and killed by Gary Harris and Anthony Gaines during the robbery on April 1, 1996.

        They were indicted, but it was not clear whether they were charged with first- or second-degree murder. When a trial judge ruled that the charge must be for second-degree murder, the two pleaded guilty.

        But during sentencing, the judge imposed a prison term appropriate to the more serious charge, because the act took place during the commission of another crime, robbery.
       

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