Drone helps locate convicted felon who led multiple agencies in Kentucky on chase

By Lauren Adams

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    NELSON COUNTY, Kentucky (WLKY) — A drone is being credited with helping to lead law enforcement to a fugitive who, only hours before, allegedly assaulted a family member and led police on a high-speed chase.

Authorities say they knew Ashton Rogers, 19, was armed when they got a tip he was at a relative’s home on Woodlawn Road.

“We found a weapon in the vehicle. We were told there was more weapons possibly on him,” Sheriff Ramon Pineiroa said.

He said Rogers had threatened to not only shoot himself but shoot officers, who by then were working under the cover of darkness. That’s when he changed the plan.

After 20 minutes on the ground, the decision was made to move the search to the skies. On Saturday, the team put up two drones: one to keep an eye on law enforcement. The second was to try and find their suspect. It did not take long, less than five minutes.

“Yeah, it was pretty quick. The pilot was excited when he said, ‘I got a hot spot,” Pineiroa said.

“At that point, it was a bunch of fist-pumping and a ‘Heck yeah, we got him’ and stuff like that,” drone pilot Capt. Casey Pyle, with the Nelson County Fire Department, said.

Rogers was taken into custody without incident. The sheriff said he’s grateful not only for the officers, but also for the first responders who were able to put their training to the test in a matter of minutes.

“Not just flying the drone to be flying it. It’s a successful mission when they get called out, and somebody’s going to jail,” Pineiroa said.

Rogers is facing multiple charges, including fleeing and evading police and wanton endangerment. He remains behind bars in Nelson County.

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