Trooper Hayden Phillips escorted home to Glasgow following line-of-duty death
GLASGOW, Ky. – A procession of law enforcement officers and community members lined the streets of Glasgow Tuesday as Kentucky State Police Trooper Hayden Phillips was escorted home.
Phillips, 28, was killed Monday afternoon while conducting a traffic stop on Interstate 65 in Warren County. He was assigned to KSP Post 3 in Bowling Green and had served with Kentucky State Police for about three years.
Phillips’ law enforcement career began with the Glasgow Police Department. The department said he served with GPD before joining Kentucky State Police and continued to be considered one of their own.
Glasgow Police Chief Guy Howie said Phillips was more than an officer to those who knew him.
“Hayden was a great young man. You know, he was a father. He… you get to watch people change as life events happen,” Howie said.
Justin Kirkpatrick, public information officer with the Glasgow Police Department, said Phillips had a clear goal of becoming a state trooper.
“You won’t find anybody who loved policing more than Hayden Phillips,” Kirkpatrick said. “We had him for a couple of years here at Glasgow. He was an excellent officer. But you could always tell that he wanted to be a state trooper.”
That goal eventually became a reality when Phillips joined Kentucky State Police.
On Tuesday, officers from multiple agencies escorted Phillips from the Glasgow Municipal Airport to Hatcher & Saddler Funeral Home.
Howie said the community response showed how deeply Phillips was respected.
“You can see when they were bringing Hayden home today from Louisville, the outpouring of support,” Howie said. “Happy Valley Road from one end to the other, with citizens and community members talking about and being there for Hayden.”
As Phillips was being brought home to Glasgow, the man accused in his death appeared in Warren County court Tuesday.
Emonnie Branch, 51, of Portland, Tennessee, is charged with murder of a first responder/peace officer in connection with Phillips’ death. Branch was arrested in Louisville Monday evening.
During Tuesday’s arraignment, Warren County Judge Kimberly Geoghegan denied bond. Branch is scheduled to return to court Friday at 8:45 a.m. for a preliminary hearing.
For those who knew Phillips, his legacy extends beyond his service as a state trooper. Friends and fellow officers remember him as a husband, father, coach and friend who was committed to serving his community.
Phillips’ death remains under investigation.
