PRESTONSBURG, Ky. — The estate of Amber Nicole Spradlin is asking a Floyd Circuit Court judge to reject attempts by local governments and officials to have its wrongful death lawsuit dismissed.
In a supplemental filing this week, attorneys for Spradlin’s estate argue that the City of Prestonsburg, Floyd County and several current and former officials should not be granted summary judgment in the case, which stems from Spradlin’s death in June 2023.
Spradlin was found stabbed to death at a home in Floyd County hours after a 911 call requesting help was placed. The lawsuit alleges that changes to the county’s emergency dispatch system left large portions of Floyd County without overnight law-enforcement coverage, contributing to the failure to respond to that call.
According to the filing, city and county officials moved 911 dispatch services from Kentucky State Police Post 9 to the Prestonsburg dispatch center in January 2023, despite warnings the change would result in coverage gaps unless additional sheriff’s deputies were hired.
The brief quotes County Attorney Keith Bartley’s comments during a fiscal court meeting about the topic, when he warned the court about the dangers of proceeding as they were: “In my opinion, the proposed changes will endanger people’s lives;” “It will cost people their lives;” “It will far exceed what the new cost with KSP will be;” “We will lose money while simultaneously endangering the lives of people;” “As a constituent, I would ask you not to endanger all of our lives, because it will come back to bite you;” and “Can Prestonsburg and the Sheriff’s Office service Floyd County? Sure, but to do so they are going to need to hire several new police officers.”
The lawsuit claims no effective policies were put in place to ensure law enforcement response during overnight hours.
The filing also quotes a deposition by former Prestonsburg Police Officer Josh Hinkle, who testified that it was Prestonsburg’s policy not to respond calls far outside of the city:
“Q. So how did you-all get instructions from Mr. Shurtleff on whether – as to whether you were answering calls or not answering calls in the county at the time?
“A. Prior to that, he had a easel brought in with a map of Floyd County. Detective Hutchinson and Detective Harold Bingham were present, and he had them take a black sharpie and draw a line around the City of Prestonsburg. He took it in to dispatch in front of Mr. Johnson and dispatcher Jennifer Tussey and stated that this is the line around the City of Prestonsburg. And it was just a little bit further, not exactly, on the city limits.
“A. And he said we can dispatch outside of that up to a couple of miles, but that’s as far as we’re going. And he said – and I will quote this, ‘I don’t care if they’re getting raped at the four-way intersection of Wheelwright, boys, we ain’t going.’ So that was how far we were dispatching outside the City of Prestonsburg was within a couple to three miles.”
Court records show a 911 call was placed at 5:52 a.m. from the home where Spradlin was later found dead, requesting medical and law-enforcement assistance. The filing alleges no responders were dispatched, and Spradlin was discovered deceased several hours later.
Attorneys for the estate argue the defendants are not entitled to governmental immunity because the decisions involved operational duties related to public safety, rather than protected discretionary policymaking. The filing also accuses county officials of repeatedly failing to comply with court-ordered discovery.
The response notes that after Spradlin’s death, Floyd County approved roughly $400,000 to hire additional sheriff’s deputies and later consolidated sheriff’s dispatch services — actions the estate says should have been taken before the 911 system changes.
The full filing follows:
