COVINGTON, Ky. — The Covington Police Department found drugs, weapons and explosives in a car parked outside a house just down the road from the police station, wrapping up what was a very eventful week for officers.
Last Saturday, a woman was found dead outside an apartment building at West 7th Street near Goebel Park. That led to the arrest of 42-year-old Lee Scalf. Scalf is being charged with tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse. The woman was identified as 59-year-old Judy Bell.
On Monday, a shooting left four people injured, including three kids. Police said it stemmed from a large fight involving juveniles.
On Tuesday night, police had a call of shots fired in the 2000 block of Garrard. According to police, an unoccupied vehicle was struck, but no one was hit or injured. This call was unrelated to the shooting the night prior.
To top things off, on Thursday night, police responded to an occupied car parked outside of a house on Donaldson Avenue, just a short walk from the Covington Police Department.
According to a release, around 9:30 p.m., officers on patrol observed suspicious activity at 2021 Donaldson Avenue. After a few minutes of observing, the officers approached the vehicle.
Once at the vehicle, officers saw suspected narcotics in plain view, and had the sole occupant exit the vehicle.
Officers searched the vehicle and located two handguns, a suppressed AR pistol, a large quantity of suspected marijuana and approximately an ounce of suspected methamphetamine, according to the release.
Also, during the search, officers found a canister that contained what they believed to be explosive devices.
Officers contacted Kenton County Emergency Management and sent out a code red notification to residents in the area, according to the release.
Natasha Paul lives just two doors down from the house where the vehicle was parked. She said in the time she’s lived in her house, there have been continual problems at 2021 Donaldson Avenue.
“For three years now, honestly, it’s been nothing but drugs in and out,” she said.
Paul said she and her friend, who was at her house at the time, did not know what was going on Thursday night.
“We had just pulled back in, and we had to park over there, because the cops were blocking the street off. We had no idea what was going on, so we went into the house of course, it’s none of our business,” she said. “We were actually all piled at the window, trying to figure out what was going on. But just waking up this morning and seeing what it was, it was very nerve-wracking.”
Paul said her friend tried to leave with her children.
“They screamed and told her to get back in the house, that she couldn’t leave, and to get the kids in,” she said.
Paul also said she never received a code red.
“The code red thing, we were not told anything. The only time we were told to get in our house was when she tried to leave,” she said.
According to the Covington Police Depatment, the Cincinnati Bomb Squad was contacted and responded to the scene to assist with securing the potentially explosive devices. The squad found one fragmentation grenade, one smoke grenade, one hand grenade simulator, one trip flare, two riot control CS gas grenades and one multi-purpose firing device (an initiating switch).
“It’s on the same street as the police station,” Paul said. “So was it meant for the police station? Was it meant for—? I don’t really have anything to say about that, other than it’s on our street.”
Police arrested 39-year-old Andrew Oliver of Frankfort, charging him with:
- Trafficking in marijuana, 1st offense (Enhanced)
- Trafficking in a controlled substance, 1st degree, 1st offense
- (Methamphetamine) (Enhanced)
- Possession of a handgun by a convicted felon (3 counts)
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
- Criminal Possession of destructive device or boobytrap device
Paul said she had never seen Paul on her street, or at all, after seeing his mugshot.
According to the release, officers also served two warrants that were outstanding for Oliver’s arrest, which included charges of burglary, theft and driving on a revoked or suspended operator’s license. He has been lodged at the Kenton County Detention Center.
The ATF responded to the scene to assist with the investigation and will be involved in further follow up investigation of the incident. The Louisville Division of the ATF released the following quote about the incident.
“ATF is assisting the Covington Police Department with an investigation involving unlawful possession of firearms and explosives devices, including grenades,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division. “This case is especially concerning given the potential for destruction in our community. With our partners at the Covington Police Department, we will continue to ensure the public is safe and those responsible will be held accountable under the law.”
Paul said she was never too worried about the situation, but she’s ready for a week to forget in Covington to come to an end.
“With the guns and stuff going around, our cops, they’re still protecting us. They got the vehicle out of here before anything happened,” she said. “I like the city. And I love the people that are here. So I hope that we can do something about it—the violence, and the craziness, drugs, and explosives, apparently now.”
Any questions regarding further status of the case can be directed to ATF PIO Cassandra Mullins at (502) 382-0840 or cassandra.mullins@atf.gov.
