PIKE COUNTY, KY. — KENTUCKY STATE POLICE AT THE PIKEVILLE POST HAVE OPENED AN INVESTIGATION IN THE AFLEX COMMUNITY IN PIKE COUNTY. ACCORDING TO AUTHORITIES, SHORTLY AFTER 6:00 AM THURSDAY, POST 9 RECEIVED A COMPLAINT OF A THEFT FROM A VEHICLE. AN EMPLOYEE WORKING AT APPALACHIAN TOBACCO REPORTED A PERSON HAD BROKEN INTO THEIR VEHICLE AND STOLE A PURSE AND POSSIBLY OTHER ITEMS FROM THE VEHICLE.  UPON ARRIVING AT THE STORE, THE TROOPER VIEWED SECURITY VIDEO AND IDENTIFIED THE SUSPECT AS JUSTIN M. HATFIELD FROM DELBARTON, WEST VIRGINIA. THE TROOPER FOUND HATFIELD AT HIS RESIDENCE AND WHILE QUESTIONING HATFIELD THE TROOPER DISCOVERED EVIDENCE FROM THE ALLEGED THEFT. AS THE TROOPER WAS ATTEMPTING TO ARREST HATFIELD A STRUGGLE ENSUED AND HATFIELD RAN OVER THE RIVER BANK AND JUMPED INTO THE TUG FORK RIVER. AFTER A SHORT SEARCH, HATFIELD WAS LOCATED ON THE WEST VIRGINIA SIDE OF THE RIVER ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS. HATFIELD WAS TRANSPORTED TO WILLIAMSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT OF EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS. AT 2:40 PM, WHILE BEING TREATED AT THE HOSPITAL, HATFIELD PASSED AWAY. HIS BODY HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE IN FRANKFORT FOR AN AUTOPSY. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.