( Hamilton County ) - "We don't seek the death penalty often, but when we do, we're pretty good at it." That statement from Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters in a news conference on Wednesday to announce an indictment against 42-year-old Terry Blankenship.
Blankenship is charged with aggravated murder and more in the death of Springdale Police Officer Kaia Grant. Investigators say Blankenship was trying to escape police on March 21 when he purposely crashed into Grant and Sgt Andy Davis. Both were standing along I-275, ready to deploy stop sticks.
Officer Grant was flown to UC Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. Sgt Davis was seriously injured and taken to the hospital.
Investigators say the chase on March 21 happened two days after Blankenship broke into his estranged wife's home in Clinton County, and pistol-whipped her boyfriend. According to Deters, Blankenship told other people he refused to go back to jail. Officer Grant's body camera activated after she was struck, and a single gunshot can be heard. No officers in the response fired any shots.
In a statement, Deters says Blankenship "deserves to die" for killing Officer Grant.