Kevin Grimes

Walmart in Nicholasville was closed for more than an hour Wednesday morning as officials investigated a man found with materials to make meth in his backpack. Nicholasville police arrested 36-year-old James Prater of 76 B Old Tanker Road in Lancaster and charged him with manufacturing meth, possession of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Jessamine County Detention Center. Police were alerted to a man passed out in the store's bathroom a little before 9 a.m., when Prater was found by Walmart employees.

Nicholasville police are investigating an alleged robbery at the Brannon Crossing McDonald's Thursday morning. A manager at the restaurant had entered his car and began driving away from the property with a deposit around 1:30 a.m. when a man approached the vehicle on foot, officer Kevin Grimes said. The man on foot flashed “what appeared to be a gun” to the manager and demanded the money, Grimes said. The alleged robber took an undisclosed amount of money and fled on foot across U.S. 27 toward Cracker Barrel.

A man was killed and a woman was critically injured early Sunday morning when their car struck a tree.  Joe Gayheart, 27 , was pronounced dead at the scene. Whitney Gayheart, age unknown, was taken to the University of Kentucky Medical Center and listed in critical condition, according to police. The two were married. The couple were traveling outbound on Union Mill Road around 2 a.m. when the car, a black Chrysler 300 driven by Joe Gayheart, left the road and struck the tree, said Nicholasville police officer Kevin Grimes.

The Nicholasville Police Department arrested three people in connection with a rash of burglaries that have occurred in recent months, according to officer Kevin Grimes. On Thursday, police arrested Erick Reynolds, Shaylin Floyd and Mike Samaan. Reynolds was charged with second-degree burglary, while Floyd was charged with complicity to commit burglary. “We were able to determine that Shaylin Floyd and Erick Reynolds were involved with multiple burglaries that were taking place in the city based on information that we gathered,” Grimes said.

The driver of a Honda CRV was transported to the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center with what police called “severe injuries” after his vehicle collided with a white truck on U.S. 27 in Nicholasville on Friday morning. The man's name has not been released. The CRV was traveling south on U.S. 27 between Howard and Elizabeth streets around 7:50 a.m. when it crossed into northbound lanes and struck a white Ford work truck, according to Nicholasville police Sgt. Jason Porch.

Nicholasville police are searching for a man who allegedly climbed through a window at a home in the 100-block of Alpine Way and startled a woman inside around 3 a.m. Thursday. The victim, who is in her 20s, told officers she was asleep when she felt someone come in and grab a hold of her. But the man fled after the woman started screaming and picked up a candle to try and hit him, Nicholasville police officer Kevin Grimes said. “She started screaming for help, there was a little bit of a struggle, and he went back out the window,” Grimes said.

Nicholasville police are investigating a possible case of arson on Stephens Drive that occurred around 5:30 a.m. Saturday. According to an NPD news release, the Nicholasville Fire Department responded to 104A Stephens Drive and 109 Stephens Drive in reference to a structure fire and a Mercedes on fire. A car located at 104A was parked in the driveway and on fire when firefighters arrived. According to the news release, the car was a total loss and the residence sustained some damage due to the blaze.

Nicholasville police are looking for a man who allegedly robbed a resident at 100 Twilight Ave. early Wednesday morning. According to a news release, police are searching for 47-year-old John Luttrell. Luttrell allegedly stole cash and other items from a female resident after using physical force on her around 6:40 a.m. Nicholasville police officer Kevin Grimes said the resident knew Luttrell and he had been staying overnight at the residence. According to the news release, the female said Luttrell left the location on foot, and may have been picked up by another person.

Walmart in Nicholasville was closed for more than an hour Wednesday morning as officials investigated a man found with materials to make meth in his backpack. Nicholasville police arrested 36-year-old James Prater of 76 B Old Tanker Road in Lancaster and charged him with manufacturing meth, possession of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Jessamine County Detention Center. Police were alerted to a man passed out in the store's bathroom a little before 9 a.m., when Prater was found by Walmart employees.

Nicholasville police are seeking the public's help in identifying a car-theft suspect less than a week after camera footage helped quickly identify another alleged thief. The burglary and theft took place at 4 a.m. Friday when a surveillance camera at DB Auto Service on North Main Street in Nicholasville captured video of a man forcing entry to the business as he used a large rock and a wooden post to break a window. The male subject found keys to a Nissan Maxima and fled the scene in the car, turning left onto 2nd Street toward Oak Street, according to police.

A man was killed and a woman was critically injured early Sunday morning when their car struck a tree.  Joe Gayheart, 27 , was pronounced dead at the scene. Whitney Gayheart, age unknown, was taken to the University of Kentucky Medical Center and listed in critical condition, according to police. The two were married. The couple were traveling outbound on Union Mill Road around 2 a.m. when the car, a black Chrysler 300 driven by Joe Gayheart, left the road and struck the tree, said Nicholasville police officer Kevin Grimes.

The driver of a Honda CRV was transported to the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center with what police called “severe injuries” after his vehicle collided with a white truck on U.S. 27 in Nicholasville on Friday morning. The man's name has not been released. The CRV was traveling south on U.S. 27 between Howard and Elizabeth streets around 7:50 a.m. when it crossed into northbound lanes and struck a white Ford work truck, according to Nicholasville police Sgt. Jason Porch.

Walmart in Nicholasville was closed for more than an hour Wednesday morning as officials investigated a man found with materials to make meth in his backpack. Nicholasville police arrested 36-year-old James Prater of 76 B Old Tanker Road in Lancaster and charged him with manufacturing meth, possession of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Jessamine County Detention Center. Police were alerted to a man passed out in the store's bathroom a little before 9 a.m., when Prater was found by Walmart employees.

Walmart in Nicholasville was closed for more than an hour Wednesday morning as officials investigated a man found with materials to make meth in his backpack. Nicholasville police arrested 36-year-old James Prater of 76 B Old Tanker Road in Lancaster and charged him with manufacturing meth, possession of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Jessamine County Detention Center. Police were alerted to a man passed out in the store's bathroom a little before 9 a.m., when Prater was found by Walmart employees.

The Nicholasville Police Department arrested three people in connection with a rash of burglaries that have occurred in recent months, according to officer Kevin Grimes. On Thursday, police arrested Erick Reynolds, Shaylin Floyd and Mike Samaan. Reynolds was charged with second-degree burglary, while Floyd was charged with complicity to commit burglary. “We were able to determine that Shaylin Floyd and Erick Reynolds were involved with multiple burglaries that were taking place in the city based on information that we gathered,” Grimes said.

Nicholasville police raided Sew Chic, a business located at 922 S. Main St., late Tuesday afternoon and confiscated 16 slot machines. The raid occurred around 4 p.m. when officers went into the business and began to carry out the machines and load them onto a flatbed trailer. “Nicholasville police executed a search warrant here at this address in reference to a detailed investigation over the last couple months in regard to illegal gambling,” officer Kevin Grimes said.

Nicholasville police are investigating a possible case of arson on Stephens Drive that occurred around 5:30 a.m. Saturday. According to an NPD news release, the Nicholasville Fire Department responded to 104A Stephens Drive and 109 Stephens Drive in reference to a structure fire and a Mercedes on fire. A car located at 104A was parked in the driveway and on fire when firefighters arrived. According to the news release, the car was a total loss and the residence sustained some damage due to the blaze.

Nicholasville police is asking the public's help in locating a Wilmore woman who has been charged with 12 counts of sex-crime-related charges. Police are searching for Ashley B. Bender, 30, of 705 Corbitt Drive, Wilmore. “Police in Nicholasville have made several attempts locally to find (Bender) and as of this time have had no success,” officer Kevin Grimes said in a news release Monday morning. “Information has been received that (Bender) may be staying at an unknown location in Lexington.” Bender was arrested by Nicholasville police June 26 on the charges.

Nicholasville police are searching for a man who allegedly climbed through a window at a home in the 100-block of Alpine Way and startled a woman inside around 3 a.m. Thursday. The victim, who is in her 20s, told officers she was asleep when she felt someone come in and grab a hold of her. But the man fled after the woman started screaming and picked up a candle to try and hit him, Nicholasville police officer Kevin Grimes said. “She started screaming for help, there was a little bit of a struggle, and he went back out the window,” Grimes said.

Two Hispanic men and one Hispanic teenager were arrested by Nicholasville police late Friday night following a botched armed robbery attempt at Little Caesars located at 964 N. Main St. Alexander Francisco, 18, of 1508 Continental Square, Lexington; Raul Patino, 19, 1573 Jennifer Drive, Lexington; and a 15-year-old juvenile were arrested and charged with first-degree robbery. The incident happened around 11:20 p.m. when the three men allegedly attempted to rob the pizza store via the drive-through window.