Lexington Herald-Leader
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Berea man who died after firing at a Madison County deputy on Wednesday had no violent offenses on his criminal record, but he could have been sent back to a cell on a probation violation if caught.
Before he wounded Deputy Kevin Crutcher and died in return fire, Daniel Pigg was accused of absconding from probation, according to court and Department of Corrections records. A warrant had been issued in November for Pigg’s arrest.
He was held in the Madison County jail at least five times between 2011 and 2014, according to jail records.
Meanwhile, Joseph Curtis, 48, also of Berea, was charged with fleeing and evading police after the shooting.
Curtis was a passenger in a Ford F-150 pickup driven by Pigg that Crutcher pulled over on a traffic stop on Arthur Jackson Lane northeast of Berea, according to police and court records. The pickup pulled into a driveway listed as Pigg’s address in court records.
Pigg left the truck and walked to the door of the house before firing at Crutcher, police said. Crutcher was released Wednesday night from University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital.
After hearing “several shots” between Crutcher and Pigg, Curtis ran from the truck and toward a nearby residence, according to court records.
Curtis “changed his clothes and at first denied being present when the deputy was shot,” a citation says.
Curtis was being held in the Madison County jail.
Court records and state Department of Corrections records indicate that Pigg, 51, had served time for several nonviolent offenses.
In March 2015, Pigg was granted parole on a 2012 conviction in Madison County for possession of a controlled substance, according to the state Department of Corrections. He was then transported to Rockcastle County for pending charges of criminal possession of a forged instrument and theft by unlawful taking.
Later that month, he was granted bond and released from jail. In July 2015, he was convicted of criminal possession of a forged instrument and received a two-year sentence that was probated.
But then in October, he violated probation because of alleged drug use. He reported to a probation and parole office but left without permission in November. He was notified by phone to report back to the office, but failed to comply.
After unsuccessful attempts to find Pigg, he was charged with absconding and failure to report to the probation/parole office. A new warrant for his arrest was issued on Nov. 18, 2015.
Pigg had helped state police in a 2011 investigation of stolen property, some of which Pigg had bought from someone else.
In that case, Pigg was charged with receiving stolen property and possession of a controlled substance for having 20 methadone pills in his pocket.
Pigg told Trooper Toby Coyle at the time that he had “a pill problem,” according to an arrest citation.
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