Prestonsburg fireworks display to honor fallen officers

By TONY FYFFE

BSN Editor

PRESTONSBURG — The city of Prestonsburg, which cancelled its 4th of July activities following the fatal shootings of three police officers and a K-9 on June 30, will host a fireworks display Saturday.

Mayor Les Stapleton announced on Facebook that the fireworks display will be in “honor and remembrance” of city police officers Ralph Frasure and Jacob Chaffins, Floyd County sheriff’s deputy William Petry and sheriff’s K-9 Drago.

Stapleton said the show is “in remembrance and celebration of the lives of the fallen.”

“The decision to host this event was made after much consideration and consultation with the families of the fallen who agree the timing is appropriate,” Stapleton said in the Facebook announcement. “There will be a siren that will signal the beginning, then one shot for the Firefighters who have worked so hard on the fireworks and have passed before us. There will then be a shot for Drago followed by three very large shots, one for each of the fallen, William Petry, Ralph Frasure and Jacob Chaffins. After thirty seconds of silence, the fireworks show will begin.”

The four were killed June 30 after members of the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office tried to serve an emergency protective order (EPO) on Lance Storz, 49, of Allen, in what Floyd County Judge-Executive Robbie Williams called a “tactical ambush.”

Storz was charged in a 20-count indictment July 11 with three counts of murder for the fatal shootings of Petry, Chaffins and Frasure; first-degree assault on a service animal in Drago’s death; six counts of criminal attempt to commit murder when he shot at Prestonsburg Police Officer Keith Duncan, Floyd County Deputy Darrin Lawson, Floyd County Deputy Chris Hall, Floyd County Deputy Dusty Newsome, Kentucky State Police Trooper Billy Ball and Constable Gary Wolfe; and seven counts of first-degree wanton endangerment for shooting into a vehicle in which Reynolds was an occupant, for shooting in the direction of Prestonsburg Police Officer Keagan Williams, for shooting into the vehicle in which Prestonsburg Police Officer Dennis Hutchinson was an occupant, for shooting in the direction of Kentucky State Police Officer Bailey Combs, for shooting in the direction of Kentucky State Police Michael McKinney, for shooting in the direction of Floyd County Deputy Adam Dixon, and for shooting in the direction of Constable Gary Nelson.