LMPD officer Nick Rodman 'will never be forgotten,' Chief Steve Conrad says
Louisville Metro Police Officer Nick Rodman died Wednesday afternoon, less than a day after he was hit by a fleeing suspect speeding down the streets of the Portland neighborhood.
Doctors labored for hours to save the life of the three-year veteran of the department, who died at 3:40 p.m. at the University of Louisville Hospital, said Police Chief Steve Conrad.
“Nick is a hero,” the chief said standing outside the hospital, his voice cracking. “He will never be forgotten.”
Rodman is the second officer in the department's history killed in the line of duty.
The married father of two comes from a family of police officers. His father, George, works in the department’s training division and brother Andy also serves on the force.
Scores of officers streamed into U of L Hospital midday Wednesday to visit the critically injured officer, parking on curbs and sidewalks as adjacent streets filled with police cars.
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The man accused of driving into Rodman's police car remains at the hospital. He will be charged with murder, Conrad said, as well as a variety of other charges that include assault and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, upon his release and booking into the city jail.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer ordered flags at all Louisville Metro properties to be flown at half-staff and encouraged residents to do the same in honor of the fallen officer.
“They put their lives on the line for us. They are underappreciated," Fischer said. "And sometimes, tragically, they pay the ultimate price as they work to keep us safe.”
A ceremony in honor of Rodman is planned for 10 a.m. Thursday at the police memorial in Jefferson Square Park, at Sixth and Jefferson streets.
Rodman was involved in a short pursuit of a wanted suspect that ended in a fiery crash around 8 p.m. Tuesday at 26th and Duncan streets.
Explaining what led to the crash, Conrad said reports of gunfire and people arguing in the road near 26th and Madison streets preceded a 911 call from a woman who said she had just been assaulted by the father of her child.
Officers spoke with the woman, who gave them a description of the man's car. An officer in the area spotted the car near 22nd and Madison streets, Conrad said, and tried to pull over the driver but the driver fled, leading to a "high-speed pursuit" that moved down 26th Street.
Meanwhile, Rodman drove down Duncan Street approaching 26th Street with the intent to join the chase. Lights and sirens on, Rodman’s car entered the intersection on a green light as it made a left turn onto 26th Street.
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It was then that the suspect's car barreled into Rodman.
"It was a very violent and very severe collision," Conrad said.
Police officers pulled Rodman from his burning car and drove him to the hospital where doctors performed a number of surgeries, trying to overcome his head injuries, the chief said.
Officers flanked a path leading out of the hospital parking lot, awaiting their fallen colleague. As he was placed into an ambulance late Wednesday afternoon, they raised their hands to their brows in salute. A line of police vehicles escorted the officer to the coroner's office, where dozens more officers waited to receive him.
Some members of the community took to social media to ask for thoughts and prayers for the officer:
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