Shai Sheriff, a 23-year-old facing a long list of charges including attempted murder of a police officer, has been found competent to stand trial for an incident that occurred in March of 2023.
During a competency hearing Tuesday morning, psychologist James Anderson with Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center said he completed an evaluation of Sheriff and found he understands legal proceedings and is fit to stand trial.
A trial has not yet been set. Sheriff’s next court date is scheduled for January 30, 2024.
Sheriff was arrested on March 19, 2023, after a vehicle chase on West Parrish Avenue.
Records show that at approximately 9:20 p.m. that day a Daviess County Sheriff’s Office deputy and Kentucky State Police trooper located Sheriff, “who had multiple warrants and had recently fled from this deputy within the last week,” at the FiveStar gas station located at 3100 West Parrish Avenue.
“Deputy and Trooper conducted a high-risk stop on the subject, clearly identifying themselves as police officers. The parking lot of this location was well lit up, where Sheriff turned in his seat and made eye contact with this deputy where loud, consistent, verbal commands were given to exit the vehicle” according to a DCSO report. “Sheriff placed the vehicle into reverse and rammed this deputy’s cruiser while Deputy was standing directly beside it. Deputy and Trooper had to move to refrain from being struck by Sheriff’s vehicle, placing Deputy and Trooper in imminent fear of death.”
According to the report, Sheriff struck two parked vehicles as well as both a DCOS and KSP cruiser.
“The vehicles parked beside him were occupied by multiple subjects who stated they felt they were in danger due to his conduct and lack of regard for anyone’s property and safety,” the report reads. “Sheriff was able to strike all (four) cars enough to wedge a gap allowing him to escape.”
According to the report, DCSO and KSP initiated a pursuit that led to the 1700 block of Parrish Plaza Drive, where Sheriff abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.
Reports say Sheriff was located a short distance away in a field and that after “a short struggle, Sheriff gave up and was placed in custody without further incident.”
According to the report, the deputy and trooper located a firearm on Sheriff along with a sealable bag containing suspected methamphetamine and U.S. currency.
Records show that upon returning to the vehicle Sheriff was operating, deputies and troopers observed “multiple baggies of marijuana in plain view as well as a strong and immediate odor of marijuana emanating from within the vehicle. Also located inside of the vehicle was a black backpack containing multiple marijuana products, multiple digital scales, a large quantity of suspected fentanyl tablets, a cluster of multiple plastic baggies, and a bottle of pseudoephed-DM where the prescription had been damaged/ripped off. Also located in the vehicle was more denominations of U.S. currency, a single baggie that field tested positive for cocaine, a Glock handgun with an extended magazine on the passenger side floorboard (under the black backpack), a single .22 caliber magazine, one bottle of promethazine, and two cell phones.”
Sheriff was briefly taken into the custody of Owensboro Health Regional Hospital for medical clearance and then was lodged in the Daviess County Detention Center, according to DCSO.
In addition to attempted murder of a police officer, Sheriff faces a number of drug and weapon charges as well as traffic violations.
