LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Lexington police officer resigned in January after the chief of police recommended he be fired over three separate disciplinary complaints that documented a hit-and-run collision in his cruiser, chronic tardiness to court and a string of on-duty missteps that included mishandling a possible sexual assault call, according to internal records.
Officer Samuel Sheehan, assigned to the Bureau of Patrol’s Central Sector third shift, submitted his resignation effective Jan. 9, 2026, after meeting with Police Chief Lawrence B. Weathers on Dec. 15, 2025. Weathers had recommended termination across all three complaints two days later on Dec. 17, according to the disciplinary files. Sheehan, hired in June 2023, requested that his cases be referred to the department’s Disciplinary Review Board, but he resigned before the board convened.
The most serious complaint centered on a Nov. 9, 2025, collision. According to a Dec. 8 investigative summary by Lt. Joe Anderson of the Public Integrity Unit, Sheehan was responding to a disorder call at 367 W. Short St. when he struck another vehicle that was traveling on Main Street. Sheehan had not activated his emergency lights or siren before the collision, and traffic camera footage showed he was attempting to pass several vehicles and quickly change lanes at the time.
After the collision, Sheehan stopped and told the other driver there was no damage to either vehicle and that they were free to go, according to the investigation. He then left and returned to the original call. He did not activate his body-worn camera, did not file a collision report, and did not notify a supervisor, the records state.
The incident came to light five days later when Sgt. Markell Heyward noticed a dent on the front-right quarter panel and near the headlight of Sheehan’s cruiser during a routine equipment inspection on Nov. 14. When Heyward asked if Sheehan had been in an accident, Sheehan initially said he had not, according to the investigation. He changed his account minutes later, admitting he had been involved in the collision and informing Heyward of what had happened. Investigators were unable to locate the other vehicle involved.
It was Sheehan’s second at-fault collision in his department cruiser in 2025. In April, he struck a red safety barrier at a gas station, though he did notify his supervisor of that incident at the time, the records note.
During his Dec. 8 interview with investigators, Sheehan acknowledged the collision and said he had not been thinking clearly. He told investigators he felt the collision was minor and that the other driver seemed unconcerned, describing the other motorist as friendly and eager to leave. When asked why he did not report it, Sheehan said he forgot, telling investigators he cleared his last call more than two hours later and then repeatedly failed to bring it up before his shift ended.
The second and third complaints, both filed by Lt. Guy Miller, documented a broader pattern of performance deficiencies spanning months. The department had placed Sheehan on a Performance Development Plan in July 2025 after an improper marijuana arrest, but investigators found the problems persisted.
Sheehan was late to felony preliminary hearings 11 times between mid-March and mid-August 2025, according to the investigation by Lt. Anderson. One case was postponed because of his tardiness. When asked during an interview what he thought his supervisors would think of his continued lateness even after being counseled, Sheehan responded that they would probably think he did not care, adding that it was not a big deal to him, the investigative summary states.
Investigators also flagged Sheehan’s response to an Aug. 20, 2025, call involving a possible sexual assault. According to the Oct. 27 investigative summary, Sheehan incorrectly told the potential victim that a report could only be taken for “harassment — physical contact” and advised them the report would not go anywhere. He then directed the potential victim back into an apartment where the possible suspect was still present, without contacting a senior officer or sergeant for guidance. The investigation found his assessment and actions were incorrect.
On Aug. 30, Sheehan attempted to stop a stolen moped but failed to notify dispatch, activated his emergency lights, yelled an obscenity at the driver, then put his vehicle in park and pursued the moped on foot before deploying his taser at the operator, according to the complaint. The investigation found these actions violated both the department’s pursuit and response-to-resistance policies.
Lt. Miller, the complainant on the unsatisfactory-performance cases, told investigators that despite multiple counseling sessions and the formal performance improvement plan, each attempt to correct Sheehan’s deficiencies had failed. Sheehan’s direct sergeant, Sgt. Heyward, told investigators he believed Sheehan was a good person who did not act out of malice but whose lack of attention to detail stemmed from inexperience and a tendency to act without thinking.
Weathers found improper conduct on all three complaints and recommended termination on Dec. 17, 2025. Sheehan’s resignation took effect roughly three weeks later.
