A former city sewer worker in Kentucky has been convicted of murder and other charges in a crash that killed a Louisville police officer in 2018.
Jurors deliberated for about three hours before returning the verdict Tuesday night for Roger Burdette, news outlets reported. Burdette was driving his Metropolitan Sewer District tanker truck when he crashed into Metro Police detective Deidre Mengedoht, who was conducting a traffic stop on Interstate 64.
Burdette, 63, was also convicted on charges of wanton endangerment, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and failing to give the right of way to a stopped emergency vehicle in the Christmas Eve crash.
Prosecutors said during the trial that Burdette had taken drugs prior to the crash and that he was watching pornography while driving.
Defense attorneys argued Mengedoht had parked her vehicle in a dangerous spot that had poor visibility.
Jurors recommended Burdette serve 27 years in prison on the charges.
The Associated Press
