LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Roger Burdette trial continued Friday with testimony by witnesses for the prosecution.

Burdette is charged with murder in the death of an Louisville Metro Police Department Detective Deidre Mengedoht.

What You Need To Know

  • Roger Burdette is on trial for the murder of Louisville police detective Deidre Mengedoht

  • According to evidence presented at trial, Burdette had traces of two controlled substances in his system at the time of the crash

  • A KSP officer testified CDL drivers are prohibited from using any controlled substance

  • Surveillance video showed 30 other vehicles avoid the detective's car before the truck Burdette was driving struck the car

Friday afternoon testimony challenged the defense’s claim that Burdette wasn’t distracted at the time of the crash and he just couldn’t see Detective Mengedoht’s cruiser. 

In his opening statements, Burdette’s attorney Ryan Dischinger said the death of Detective Mengedoht was an accident and that investigators ignored evidence of that.

LMPD Sgt. Omar Lee, the sergeant in charge of Louisville's public integrity unit on the day of the crash told a different story. 

Lee testified while reviewing surveillance video of the crash, he counted 30 vehicles that were able to move over with no issue and one was a semi truck. 

Lee added approximately 20 vehicles changed lanes from the one where Mengedoht was conducting a traffic stop.

Lee testified he used information he saw at the scene and from the traffic unit to determine why Burdette didn’t avoid hitting the cruiser. 

“All that in combination confirmed that he was impaired and that impairment resulted in him having the collision which resulted in the death and murder of the detective,” said Lee. 

Records show Burdette has prescribed hydrocodone as recently as 2016, but Lee said Burdette did not have a current prescription at the time of the crash in 2018. 

Lee did find text messages from Burdette communicating with someone who was not a doctor to purchase prescription drugs. 

LMPD Traffic Unit's Dean Kisling testified that he cannot say if Burdette was or was not braking at the point of the collision, but there was no substantial length of skid marks evident at the crash site.

Kisling added reports show that Burdette did not consistently brake until seven seconds before the collision. 

Jurors also heard testimony from Sergeant Jason Morris with Kentucky State Police’s commercial vehicle enforcement. 

Morris discussed the expectations of commercial drivers license (CDL) drivers in terms of distracted driving and medical conditions. 

Morris testified CDL regulations prohibit drivers from taking any controlled substances even if they have been prescribed by a doctor.

Burdette was prescribed hydrocodone in 2008, 2012, and 2016.

Morris told the court, “It reduces their ability to operate safely. Anything that is ingested that could impair the ability to operate that motor vehicle would be ill-advised.”

Morris said Burdette would have completed mandatory training that made him aware of that rule. 

Louisville's Metropolitan Sewer Department (MSD) does have records of Burdette’s hydrocodone prescription. Each had a note to not be used while driving. 

The jury will return to the courtroom Tuesday to hear from witnesses called by the defense.