Police in Kentucky search for gunman who fired on highway and injured five people

From Bill Estep

source Lexington Herald-Leader

Authorities have obtained arrest warrants for a Kentucky man who allegedly shot at cars on Interstate 75 on Saturday, seriously injuring five people.

The arrest warrants charge 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch with five counts of attempted murder and five counts of first-degree assault, according to District Attorney Jackie Steele, who oversees felony charges in Laurel County, where the shootings occurred.

The charges of murder and assault are based on the injuries and attacks on the same five people.

Police could also charge Couch with reckless endangerment and criminal damage because he shot at other cars, but no one was injured.

According to police, Couch fired shots at a total of 12 cars on I-75 from a vantage point on a ledge above the busy road in northern Laurel County around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Police have not released any information about the motive for the shooting, but have seized his vehicle and the AR-15 assault rifle believed to have been used in the shooting.

Since Saturday evening, the police have been searching for Couch in difficult terrain in a wooded area near the highway.

Authorities do not believe Couch, who is from rural Knox County, specifically targeted any specific individuals in the shooting.

Police suspended the search for Couch on Sunday evening, but continued to keep officers in the woods to make sure he did not sneak away and planned to resume the search Monday morning.

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