Late night crowd temporarily closed Bardstown Road in the Highlands, police called to respond

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — What started as a weekend celebration in the Highlands ended with hundreds of people flooding Bardstown Road early Sunday morning in Louisville, halting traffic and prompting a police response.

The scene unfolded around 3 a.m. near the intersection of Grinstead Drive and Bardstown Road, shortly after nearby bars were closing for the night. Cellphone video from the incident shows a crowd of nearly 400 people spilling into the street, provocatively dancing on vehicles and blocking traffic.

Ti’ant Wyatt, who said he had been celebrating at the Highlands Tap Room, described the energy as infectious.

“As we came outside, the vibes were just in the street,” he said. “Where it takes you is where it takes you, right?”

Many in the crowd were marking college graduations and the long Memorial Day weekend. But for some longtime residents, the scene was overwhelming.

Andrew Garrett, who has lived a block from Bardstown Road for seven years, said the noise has been getting worse over time.

“You’ve got the weekend volume, you can clearly hear it in your house,” Garrett said. “But this was another level.”

Garrett also said his vehicle has been damaged multiple times by late-night bar patrons.

“I’ve had my truck hit three times — hit-and-runs," he said. "It’s just people leaving the bars around 3 in the morning."

The Louisville Metro Police Department's Fifth Division responded to the crowd and received assistance from other units. Officers dispersed the gathering in about 15 minutes and no arrests were made, according to LMPD.

Metro Councilman Ben Reno-Weber, who represents the Highlands area, issued a statement calling the behavior “totally unacceptable.”

“Blocking traffic, preventing emergency vehicles from passing through, and disturbing neighbors trying to sleep is not how we celebrate a holiday weekend in the Highlands,” Reno-Weber, D-District 8, said. “We will not tolerate people or institutions who encourage this kind of dangerous and disruptive behavior.”

He praised LMPD for its swift and peaceful response and said an increased police presence the following night prevented a similar incident from occurring again.

The intersection has seen trouble before. Just one month ago, a man was shot and killed there — also early on a Sunday morning.

Residents and city leaders have long debated how late bars should stay open in the area, with concerns about rising crime and noise.

“It’s a lot of bars and it’s a popular area, so you’ve got to expect some of it,” Garrett said. “It’s just about keeping it from getting too out of control.”

LMPD said it anticipates more incidents like this as the summer months heat up.

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