LOUISVILLE, Ky (WDRB) -- An impressive scene Saturday on River Road as hundreds of Jeeps and motorcycles took to the streets in a procession to remember fallen LMPD Detective Deidre Mengedoht.
The "Back the Blue" ride was a 30-mile loop that left from Cox Park on River Road.
IMAGES | "Back the Blue Ride" held in honor of fallen LMPD Det. Deidre Mengedoht
All donations and proceeds from the event will be placed into a trust for Det. Mengedoht's son.
"She was a friend of our Jeep Club, Derby City Jeep club. She has actually been with us and escorted us on events like this in the past," said Jeep Club member and organizer Alisa Salvestrini.
100 percent of the money raised will go directly towards a trust that has been prepared for Mengedoht’s 9-year-old son.
Mengedoht died in the line of duty on Christmas Eve when her cruiser was hit by an MSD truck on I-64. The truck's driver, Roger Burdette, has been charged with murder and DUI.
LMPD Det. Deidre Mengedoht died on Christmas Eve of 2018, after her police cruiser was hit by an MSD truck.
A raffle section was set up courtesy of local businesses that donated items. The raffle was set up under a draped American Flag held up by the ladders of fire trucks.
For William Keiffer, the ride was personal.
He and members of the Brother’s Keepers Motorcycle club are firefighters who often work with LMPD - which was also at the ride to escort everyone safely.
"It’s always important to back up and show support (for) the family and all the officers," Keiffer said. "For someone to lose their life doing a job that obviously she loved that’s a lot."
Many of the riders and drivers wore shirts in honor of the detective, while others had American flags and fallen officer flags attached to their vehicles.
Organizers expected a few hundred people to show up but that was quickly surpassed as word of the ride spread.
"People are coming from all over Ohio, Indiana, all over Kentucky. Not just jeep clubs but other car clubs,” said Salvestrini. “Mengedoht’s son can see how much she was loved and how much this community is backing him up and wants to be here for him.”
More than $7,000 was raised during the “Back the Blue” ride.
Related stories:
- IMAGES | Procession held for fallen LMPD Det. Deidre Mengedoht
- IMAGES | Fallen LMPD detective held as example for others at funeral
- Louisville-area Bearno's to hold fundraiser for fallen LMPD detective's family
- Donations being collected for young son of fallen LMPD detective
- Fellow officers and family members dedicate makeshift memorial to fallen LMPD detective
- MSD apologizes for hiring an attorney for employee charged in LMPD detective's death
- Best friend of fallen LMPD detective says she was 'all about love'
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