Local commercial vehicle enforcement duo provides life-saving assistance to motorist

Two Kentucky State Police Division of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement staff members at the Laurel County weigh station stepped up Friday to serve and protect the life of a private vehicle motorist who was in the midst of a medical emergency.

Austin Dople and CVE Sergeant Doug Stacy with Brittany and Chris Waddle. Dople and Stacy used a CVE cruiser to transport Chris Waddle to a local hospital Friday after Brittany Waddle stopped at the weigh station in Laurel County to get medical help for her husband.

CVE Officer Steve Douglas, public affairs officer for the central region, said KSP Sergeant Doug Stacy and facility maintenance Austin Dople were at the southbound weigh station when a woman approached them seeking help for her husband who was showing signs of a possible heart attack.

According to Douglas, Brittany Waddle told the men that she had contacted 9-1-1 concerning Chris Waddle’s condition, but because of heavy traffic caused by the construction, the ambulance was having a difficult time reaching them.

“It was at that moment that Sergeant Stacy and Mr. Dople made the split-second decision to transport the 40-year-old by patrol car to Baptist Health Hospital in Corbin,” Douglas stated.

Douglas said Chris Waddle was treated and released from the hospital and able to return home in time to celebrate his birthday with his wife and four children.

Douglas added that it was later learned that Stacy and Dople had saved another member of the law enforcement community as Waddle had served with law enforcement in the Madison County area before being forced to retired due to health reasons.