Lexington Police Officer Suspended After Multiple Vehicle Crashes
Lexington, KY – A police officer in Lexington has been suspended for one week without pay following a series of vehicle accidents involving his department vehicle. Officer John Gibbons is facing this disciplinary action after crashing five times over a two-year period, with the most recent incidents leading the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council to take action on November 14.
The council voted to suspend Gibbons and revoke his take-home vehicle privileges for six months due to three recent crashes. All five accidents were classified as minor, and fortunately, no injuries were reported. However, Gibbons failed to report at least one of the incidents to his supervisor, according to internal documents.
The incidents began on April 5, 2023, when Gibbons struck a police vehicle while attempting to parallel park on Nicholasville Road. An investigation by the department’s Public Integrity Unit revealed that Gibbons had “driven too close,” causing his vehicle’s passenger side to make contact with the rear taillight of the other car.
Approximately two months later, Gibbons collided with another officer’s cruiser while both were parked off Executive Drive. The second officer was backing out to respond to a call, and Gibbons, failing to observe his blind spot, backed into the cruiser, resulting in a flat tire.
On January 24, 2024, Gibbons hit an unoccupied vehicle while reversing into a parking space on a night described as having “heavily icy” conditions. This led to him undergoing driving re-training in February after acknowledging fault in three of the five crashes.
Subsequent incidents occurred on July 27 and August 31, where he struck a pole and hit a curb, respectively. The latter incident caused two flat tires on the police vehicle. Gibbons called a tow service for assistance but did not inform his supervisors about the accident. City mechanics discovered the damage upon the vehicle’s return.
Gibbons’ one-week suspension concluded on December 1, 2023, following a series of reprimands for his driving record. A spokesperson for the Lexington Police Department stated that Gibbons was unavailable for comment regarding the suspension.
