High Speed Chase Nets 15 Charges for Knox Man, including Attempted Murder

What began as a run-of-the-mill traffic safety checkpoint for Barbourville Police quickly escalated into a harrowing high-speed chase, ending with a Barbourville man racking up several charges, including attempted murder of a police officer.

During a routine, scheduled safety checkpoint on Tuesday night, August 12, 2025, Barbourville Police Department officers observed a silver Mitsubishi Lancer slowing down as officers flashed lights in the roadway to alert the driver to their presence in order to stop. Police noted in the citation that their patrol vehicles were illuminating their blue lights, in addition to two spotlights shining on the roadway.

The driver of the Mitsubishi Lancer accelerated the vehicle towards officers Braden Isom and Colby Patterson in an apparent attempt to run them over. Both officers lunged out of the path of the speeding car to avoid being hit. The officers then pursued the car where they made contact with it near Roadside Baptist Church on Ky. 3439 in the Boone Heights community. They continued following the car to Parkway Plaza and U.S. 25E where the driver of the speeding car made an illegal lefthand turn onto U.S. 25E south by going through a red traffic light, as well as not signaling for the turn.

At speeds up to 112 miles per hour, the officers pursued the vehicle until the suspect slowed down to 74 miles per hour near Creek Mart in Flat Lick. When officers attempted to box in the speeding car with their cruisers, they were unsuccessful as the suspect left the roadway onto the shoulder before cutting back in front of the officers, at which point the driver’s door of the vehicle struck a cruiser.

Officers continued following the vehicle as they turned without signal onto Ky. 223, and followed at speeds of 55 miles per hour until the suspect made a right onto Moores Creek Road, again without signaling, at which point the pursuit continued for another six to seven miles. The suspect slowed to 10-15 miles per hour, which allowed officers to surround the suspect’s vehicle. The suspect exited the vehicle and ran over an embankment where they fell on rocks into a creek. At this point, officers observed the suspect to be Kenny Frye, who had an active warrant for his arrest for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

As officers attempted to subdue Frye with verbal commands to show his hands, he was laying on his stomach with his arms tucked under his torso. When Officer Patterson laid hands on Frye, he continued to resist, striking Patterson in the face. When Officer Isom attempted to grab Frye’s right arm, he continued to pull away, again tucking his arms underneath his torso.

Officers Middleton and Chesnut continued to attempt to subdue Frye, as he continued to resist, at which point officers delivered closed fist strikes to Frye in the face to force him to comply. In continuing to resist, Frye once again placed his arms under his torso at his waistline and kicked at officers as they attempted placing him into handcuffs. Officers delivered closed fist strikes to Frye’s torso in order to force him to comply. Frye was warned he would be tased, but continued to resist and fight, forcing Officer Chesnut to deploy his department-issued Taser to the center of Frye’s back, which was effective for a time before Frye continued resisting, once again placing his arms under his torso at the waist. Officer Chesnut tased Frye a second time in order to gain compliance, which led Frye to cooperate by placing his arms behind his back, allowing officers to place him into handcuffs and under arrest.

Officers notified Knox County Dispatch that Frye would need medical treatment for injuries sustained during the fall and altercation. Knox County EMS transported Frye to Barbourville ARH Hospital for treatment, and was medically cleared to be transported to the Knox County Detention Center.

Frye has been charged with Criminal Mischief, 1^st Degree; Possession of a Controlled Substance 1^st Degree, 1^st Offense (methamphetamine); Failure to Improper Signal; Operating on a Suspended or Revoked Operator License; License to be in Possession; Failure to Produce Insurance Card; Speeding 26 MPH or greater than the speed limit; (Attempted) Murder of a First Responder (Peace Officer); Reckless Driving; Fleeing or Evading Police, 1^st Degree (motor vehicle); Wanton Endangerment, 1^st Degree (police officer); Resisting Arrest; Assault 3^rd Degree (police officer or probation officer); Fleeing or Evading Police, 2^nd Degree (on foot); Menacing.

Frye was lodged in the Knox County Detention Center where he remains held on a total bond of $100,574.50. He is scheduled for an appearance in Knox District Court on August 19.