A mismatch between the address on Doug Harless’ home and county records complicates the investigation into a recent officer-involved shooting.
Local officials, including Laurel County PVA Don McFadden, are scratching their heads over how this happened. The police had a search warrant for 489 Vanzant Road, but Harless’ house was marked as 511 Vanzant Road. Dispatch audio from that night clearly states 489, so it’s a bit confusing.
There’s even some surveillance footage from a neighbor that shows police arriving at Harless’ home and announcing themselves before things escalated. Sadly, Harless was pronounced dead at the scene.
McFadden mentioned that mobile home addresses can get messed up if the home is moved. He thinks Harless’ address should probably be 489, which is just a short distance from a nearby intersection.
The Sentinel-Echo tried to get to the bottom of this but couldn’t confirm if Harless’ home had been relocated. A property manager said the addresses were assigned before he took over, and he believes they were based on some authority like the USPS.
Interestingly, another mobile home nearby has the address 489 but shows up as 525 in the PVA system. There’s no record of 511 in the PVA map at all. McFadden pointed out that figuring out these addresses isn’t exactly a science.
Meanwhile, the police were on Vanzant Road because of a theft report involving a guy named Hobert Buttery. He had taken some items, including a weed eater, to a house in the area. Buttery was arrested for theft, and it turns out he used to live at 515 Vanzant Road.
The stolen items belonged to Laurel County Judge Executive David Westerfield, who was alerted by his nephew about the break-in. The police dispatch audio from that night shows the urgency of the situation, and it’s clear there were no cameras at the property.
After the shooting, the officer involved was placed on administrative leave. The Kentucky State Police are now investigating the incident, collecting evidence from Harless’ property, including shell casings and a handgun.
This story is still unfolding, and folks are eager to see how it all plays out.
