New details and suspect identified in cop killer case

UPDATE: A man arrested in the death of Officer Kaia Grant has been identified as Terry Blankenship of Blanchester.

He was arrested Saturday after allegedly crashing into the Springdale officer's patrol vehicle, injuring Sgt. Andrew Davis. Grant was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Blanchester Police released a statement of the turn of events leading to the crash.

Blankenship was wanted for aggravated burglary, after his wife Krista called police, saying her estranged husband had pistol-whipped and threatened to kill her boyfriend, Kenneth Jordan in her home in East Center Street's trailer park on Thursday evening, March 19th. Police issued a "be-on-the-lookout" bulletin to surround law enforcement agencies, advising he was armed and had threatened "suicide by cop", according to his wife.

Several departments joined Blanchester police on Friday looking for Blankenship.

Saturday night, March 21, Blanchester police were notified Blankenship had been arrested by Ohio State Highway Patrol after a vehicle pursuit in which police officers were injured.

Chief of Police Scott Reinbolt said in the release:

"We are now aware that Springdale police officer Kaia Grant was killed in her effort to apprehend Blankenship. Our hearts are heavy with grief for her, her fellow officers and her family. She died protecting the citizens of Blanchester, people she had never met. Words cannot express our gratitude. We are also grateful to the Elwood Place Police Department, the Loveland Police Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and especially the Springdale Police Department for their efforts to bring Blankenship to justice."

Funeral arrangements have not been made public at this time.

EARLIER: A Springdale Police officer was killed in the line of duty Saturday night, after a vehicle being pursued by another department crash into a police cruiser she and another officer were in on Interstate 275.

33 year-old Officer Kaia Grant was an eight-year veteran of the force.

The officer injured has been identified as Sgt. Andrew Davis.

Grant is the first Springdale police officer killed in the line of duty.

The suspect in the pursuit is in custody and in the hospital.


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