A Tennessee man has been charged with murder after Kentucky State Police Trooper Hayden Phillips was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Interstate 65 in Warren County, Kentucky, Monday.
Phillips was conducting the traffic stop around 2 p.m. near mile marker 38 when he was shot by an occupant of the vehicle, according to Kentucky State Police. The vehicle fled the scene, leading authorities to launch a search.
The suspect was later located in Jefferson County and identified as 51-year-old Emonnie Branch of Portland, Tennessee.
Video from the scene of his arrest shows 51-year-old Emonnie Branch being taken into custody by multiple police officers as several law enforcement vehicles surround the area.
Branch is charged with murder of a first responder/peace officer, along with additional charges related to the incident.
Court records show Branch previously pleaded guilty to 23 offenses in Tennessee stemming from two home invasions, two convenience-store robberies and an assault on a fellow inmate.
He was sentenced to a total effective term of 130 years, a sentence that was upheld by the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals in November 2014.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear also asked Kentuckians to pray for Phillips’ family, describing him as a hero who dedicated himself to protecting the commonwealth. Beshear said Phillips was also a devoted husband and father of three children.
“Let us wrap our arms around this family during this unimaginable time,” Beshear said.
Phillips was assigned to KSP Post 3 in Bowling Green and was a graduate of Cadet Class 103. KSP Colonel Phillip Burnett Jr. said Phillips made the ultimate sacrifice while serving on I-65.
“Our hearts break for Trooper Phillips’ family, loved ones, and fellow troopers as we grieve this tremendous loss,” Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. said.