LYON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORT

On Monday, Aug. 10, 2026, around 10 a.m., deputies served a Lyon District Court criminal summons on Stanley Puryear, 61, of Eddyville. He was charged with seven counts of theft by unlawful taking. The case involves a period when Puryear was an employee of a local business. The case was investigated by Chief Deputy Sam Adams. Puryear is set to appear in Lyon District Court on Aug. 19, 2026, to answer to the charges.

On Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, around 1:38 p.m., Sheriff Brent White observed a dump truck operating on KY 93 South with no license plate displayed on the rear of the vehicle. He attempted to stop the dump truck on KY 93 near KY 1055. The operator disobeyed multiple directives to stop and turned off KY 93 onto KY 1055, where he continued to disobey directives to stop. The dump truck finally stopped at an abandoned home on KY 1055, where the driver was taken into custody without further incident. He was identified as Maxx T. Phebus, 32, of Earlington. Phebus was charged with improper display of registration plates, failure to or improper signal, first-degree fleeing or evading police, failure to wear a seat belt and driving on a DUI-suspended license, second offense. Phebus was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center. White was assisted by the Eddyville Police Department and Kentucky State Police. Note: This is the second time in recent days Phebus has been arrested in Lyon County. In the early

morning hours of Aug. 3, 2026, he was arrested by Deputy Beeler after the same dump truck was found in a residential yard and Phebus was found passed out nearby.

On Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, just after 11:30 a.m., Adams was dispatched to a two-vehicle collision on

 

KY 93 South. His investigation revealed that a 2024 GMC Terrain driven by Brian Fosse, 47, of Princeton was southbound and attempted to pass a slower-moving vehicle in front of it. Fosse didn’t realize that a southbound 2018 Chevrolet Impala driven by Garyth Thompson, 50, of Eddyville had already established the right of way when he attempted to pass the line of slower-moving traffic, including Fosse’s vehicle. The two vehicles sideswiped each other while traveling in the same direction. No injuries were reported in the collision.

On Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, just before noon, Adams responded to a single-vehicle collision on KY 295 North. His investigation determined that Michael Kessler, 81, of Fredonia was driving a GMC Envoy southbound on KY 295 in the 3600 block when a deer ran into his lane of travel. Kessler attempted to avoid a collision with the animal before losing control. Kessler’s vehicle left the right shoulder and collided with the corner of a concrete driveway before coming to rest in an embankment. He was transported by Lyon County EMS to an area hospital for treatment of his injuries. The Kuttawa Fire Department, Lyon County EMS and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet crews assisted Adams at the scene.

On Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, around 10:30 p.m., Deputy Luke Fraley was on patrol when he observed a golf cart operating on Buzzard Rock Road near KY 810 South. Fraley stopped the golf cart at KY 810 South and Chestnut Oak Road. The driver was identified as Michael H. Kissel, 54, of Evansville, Indiana. Following a roadside investigation, Fraley arrested Kissel and charged him with DUI, first offense. Kissel was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.