LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville Metro Police officer involved in a fatal crash last week did not have lights and sirens activated, the department's chief confirmed Wednesday. 

LMPD officer Alyssa Begel is on paid administrative leave after the crash on Fern Valley Road, a department spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday evening.

Officers rushing to help EMS on Interstate 65 around 9 p.m. April 2 were told by dispatchers they could slow down their response as police were already on scene.

Three minutes later, on Fern Valley Road near Newburg, Begel's cruiser collided with a black Cadillac driven by Charles Briscoe, 61, who died at the scene.

Friday, a man who witnessed the crash told WDRB Begel was driving extremely fast and with no lights or siren on.

WDRB asked LMPD whether Begel was driving without lights and siren as the witness described, but a spokesperson referred to department's critical incident policy and did not answer the question.

LMPD is treating the crash as a critical incident, following the same protocol used when someone dies in a police shooting. That means body or dash cam footage will be made public in 10 business days. 

Wednesday, seven days — five business days — after the crash, LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey said in an interview with another local news outlet that Begel did not have her lights and siren on before the accident. 

After WDRB reached out to LMPD again, a spokesperson issued a statement confirming the chief's comment.

LMPD said in Wednesday's statement it would provide a "significant update" to all media Thursday, but did not elaborate further.

According to Begel's personnel file released by the city late Friday afternoon, she was hired in October 2022, has 22 commendations and three reprimands for discipline.

One particular incident in the documents show Begel was "at fault" in a car accident a year after her hiring, in October 2023, and disciplined for it in April of 2024 in the form of a verbal reprimand.

Begel was released from the hospital last Friday, April 4. 

This story may be updated. 

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