Shepherdsville cop charged with DUI in Whitley Co. resigns from force

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A man employed by the City of Shepherdsville as a police officer was arrested over the weekend for driving under the influence in southeastern Kentucky.

Christopher Anthony Cowan, 40, of Shepherdsville, was arrested late Saturday by Corbin police for operating a motor vehicle under the influence, disorderly conduct and leaving the scene of an accident.

His arrest report says while Corbin firefighters were on a call at the Corbin Speedway store just before 11 p.m., they saw a Dodge RAM pickup run a red light and travel at a high rate of speed while going up a hill leading to the Corbin Arena. After entering an arena parking lot, the truck backed into a parked vehicle before heading back down the hill.

Using their two-way radios, firefighters reported a description of the truck to Corbin police and were able to follow it until it stopped in the Speedway parking lot.

Once police arrived, they saw Cowan outside his truck, yelling and kicking the rear end of the vehicle. When Cowan was asked if he had been driving, he said he was.

The report states Cowan’s speech was slurred, his eyes were bloodshot and glassy, and he was unsteady on his feet. The officer also noted Cowan smelled strongly of alcoholic beverages.

While being given field sobriety tests, the report says Cowan started walking toward his truck saying he was “going to get his gun.” Cowan was then put into handcuffs, placed into a police car and booked into the Whitley County Detention Center. Cowan was released late Sunday morning. No date for his arraignment was immediately available.

The City of Shepherdsville said Cowan has resigned from the police department.