Dramatic video captures moment Bellevue officer arrests stolen car suspect
By Daisy Kershaw
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BELLEVUE, Ky. (WLWT) — A dramatic arrest in broad daylight, in the middle of a busy Bellevue street, was caught on camera.
WLWT has video showing officers stop the driver of a stolen car, at gunpoint.
On Monday evening, Bellevue Patrol Officer, Johnathan Kohler said he ran the tags on a car passing him on Taylor Avenue.
Kohler says that’s how he discovered the car was reported stolen in early August. He said extensive training through the department helped him jump right into action.
Neighbor and local bar owner, Charlie Zimmerman, caught all the action on his phone.
“I was upstairs in my bedroom right above the tavern here, and I heard a very commanding voice say, ‘hey get out of the car’,” said Zimmerman.
It was Kohler’s voice.
“I called him back to me, and I backed up with him as he was walking towards me. I got him on his knees, made sure that we were in a safe position as possible,” said Kohler.
Releigh Lunsford, 57, was taken into custody.
Kohler, who has been on the force just over a year says that it is because of constant training drills that officers are able to react safely and swiftly in these cases.
“Everybody went home safely. Nobody had any scratches. We’re all good at the end of the day,” he said.
Officers were also able to get the car back to the woman it belongs to.
Meanwhile, the suspect is still being held behind bars at the Campbell County Jail on a $2,500 cash bond. He is charged with being in the stolen car, driving without a license and having drugs on him.
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