Hearing continued in fatal pursuit

Published 10:20 am Thursday, December 5, 2019

A woman charged with killing three people following a pursuit through Clark County in September will wait another month before her hearing on local charges.

Tammy Rodriguez, 42, of Louisville, is already facing three counts of murder and other charges from the Sept. 4 pursuit which ended with a crash near the intersection of Interstates 64 and 75 in Lexington.

Rodriguez,  was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Wednesday afternoon in Clark District Court for charges of first-degree wanton endangerment, first-degree fleeing or evading police and reckless driving.

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Her attorney Valetta Browne said Rodriguez’s attorney in Fayette County had raised the issue of her mental competency, and said Rodriguez was scheduled to be evaluated at the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center imminently. Clark District Judge Cole Adams Maier continued the hearing until Jan. 8, 2020.

Clark County sheriff’s deputies responded to a reckless driver complaint on the night of Sept. 4 on Interstate 64. The truck was headed east, but made a U-turn through the median and went west toward Winchester.

Winchester Police officers blocked the exits to Winchester but maintained the pursuit into Fayette County after deputies discontinued.

Winchester Police Capt. James Hall said officers had contacted Lexington police about the situation, but the officers had not arrived before the crash occurred.

Lexington Police said Rodriguez attempted to merge onto northbound Interstate 75, but turned at the end of the ramp to travel south in the northbound lanes. She then collided with two vehicles, which caused the death of Rodriguez’s sister Debbie Blevins of Pikeville and two people in another car, Taylor Blevins and Caitlyn Bailey.

According to Kentucky Court of Justice records, Rodriguez is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Lexington Dec. 10.

About Fred Petke

Fred Petke is a reporter for The Winchester Sun, the Jessamine Journal and the State Journal. His beats include cops, courts, fire, public records, city and county government and other news. To contact Fred, email fred.petke@bluegrassnewsmedia.com or call 859-759-0051.

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