Court/Criminal

Former Larue County Deputy Sheriff Joshua Matthew “Matt” Darst, 31, was indicted by a LaRue County grand jury Monday, May 21, on one count each of theft by unlawful taking, tampering with physical evidence and first-degree official misconduct.
Darst is accused with recovering a stolen motorcycle “with the intent to deprive the owner of its use by keeping it himself. Darst altered the appearance of the motorcycle in an attempt to mask its identity by the owner,” according to a news release by Kentucky State Police.

 The Hart County grand jury indicted three local people in May.

Albert T. Speed, 32, Civils Loop, Hodgenville, was charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance less than two grams, meth, and complicity.

Jana D. Collins, 39, Bales Raod, Magnolia, was charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, less than two grams, meth, and complicity.

 Hodgenville City Police is assisting the LaRue County Detention Center with an investigation revolving around the alleged assault of a female inmate.

 A Nelson County High School student was charged with abuse of a teacher and harassment after a physical encounter at school May 8.

Justin Derek Downs, 19, New Haven, was booked at the Nelson County Jail at 10:48 a.m.

"There was an incident between a couple of students and the teacher stepped in to deal with it," Nelson County Schools Communication Director Tom Dekle said. "The incident basically involved inappropriate physical contact."