LMPD officer helps rescue victim of head-on crash

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - An off-duty LMPD Officer sprang into action when he came across a serious crash on his way home from the lake.

Katelyn Carnes of Glendale was the only survivor.

Two others died.

It happened in August as Officer Dillon Thompson and his wife were on their way home from Taylor County.

They came across a head-on crash on Highway 210.

“There was a huge plume of smoke, and two cars, one car flipped over and one car stuck, and both cars touching each other in a ditch,” Officer Thompson said, recalling the accident.

There was a female passenger in bad shape.

“Myself and another paramedic were in the backseat of the car after they cut off the roof of the car (the fire department), and we got her on a backboard and got her removed from the car--got her on a gurney and took her to the other helicopter,” Thompson said.

Officer Thompson did go visit Katelyn in the hospital.

“I got a call from Katelyn’s mom saying, ‘Hey, Katelyn’s awake- do you want to come up and see her?’ and at that point in time I was at work and I stopped. I was on Jefferson Street just before First, and I just stopped and the light turned green and I sat there for a second and i was like ‘whew.’ Just a huge relief that it wasn’t going to be all three,” Thompson said.

Katelyn’s mother said she’s still recovering in the hospital and is now able to talk a little.

“I want to also thank all the other people that were involved in saving Katie, but Dillon went above and beyond what most people would do when seeing an accident. He is definitely an angel in our eyes,” Katelyn’s mother said on Facebook.

The LMPD shared the story via a Facebook video.

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