Mayfield, Ky.–A man was found guilty of robbing a Mayfield business at gunpoint after the 2021 tornado and of shooting at officers and the jury recommended he be sentenced to the maximum 70 years on the attempted murder and robbery charges.
The Graves County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office has announced the results of the jury trial. Isaiah Bentley was convicted on July 18, 2024, following a 3-day jury trial, of the following crimes:
*2 Counts: Attempted Murder of Police Officer, Class B Felonies,
*Robbery, 1st Degree, Class B Felony,
*Attempted Assault, 1st Degree, Class C Felony,
*Convicted Felon in Possession of Handgun, Class C Felony,
*Wanton Endangerment, 1st Degree, Class D Felony, and
*Complicity to Fleeing/Evading Police, 1st Degree, Class D Felony.
The jury recommended the maximum penalty of 70 years. Bentley will not be eligible for parole for the entirety of the 70 year sentence, pursuant to a new law that took effect Monday, July 15, 2024. The new law makes individuals ineligible for early release, including parole, if they have previously been convicted of a felony and the most recent felony conviction involves the utilization of a handgun. Bentley will be 96 years old when his sentence is completed.
THE CASE
On New Years Eve, December 31, 2021, three weeks after the catastrophic tornado destroyed much of Mayfield and took the lives of many in the local community community, Bentley and Co-Defendant, James Hawks, came to Mayfield to rob a local Cash Advance business.
After first casing the Paducah branch of the Cash Advance business and concluding it was too busy to rob, they made their way to Mayfield knowing it was still reeling from the historic tornado. Bentley and Hawks covered the license plate with mud to avoid detection. At the cash advance business, only Bentley went inside. Believing the manager at the cash register to be the only person in the business, Bentley pulled a handgun from his waistband, pointed it at the manager, threw a gray plastic bag at her, and demanded that she put the money in the bag.
Bentley was observed by the manager, another employee initially unnoticed by Bentley, a customer that walked in on the robbery, and another citizen in an adjoining business. Bentley rushed from the business with a bag of money (approximately $1,500), jumped in the passenger side of the S-10, and yelled to Hawks, “drive, drive, drive!”
John Vance and Howard Garrison are police officers in Glasgow, KY. They had volunteered to be in tornado-ravaged Mayfield to temporarily assist our local law enforcement in patrolling the area. They were the first officers to locate the S-10 and a high speed chase began on Hwy 58, near the intersection of Hwy 131. Officer Vance operated the car closest behind the S-10 with Officer Garrison not far behind. As the S-10 exceeded speeds of 85 mph, Bentley climbed out the passenger side window, sat on the door’s window opening, and shot directly at Officer Vance. Vance had to swerve off the road to avoid being shot. Officers momentarily lost site of the S-10.
The S-10 turned onto I-69 (formerly the Purchase Parkway) and exited onto 45 N, traveling back to Paducah. Trooper William Propes, Kentucky State Police (“KSP”) and Det. Nathan Moore, KSP, were rushing down 45 S to assist in locating the S-10. They spotted the S-10, crossed the median on to 45 N, and another high speed chase ensued. Trooper Propes operated the car closest behind the S-10, with Det. Moore immediately behind. Captain Jeremy Prince (Graves County Sheriff’s Office “GCSO”) was also in pursuit, directly behind Det. Moore. Bentley again climbed out the passenger side window, sat on the door’s window opening, and shot directly at Trooper Propes. Trooper Propes swerved into the median to avoid being shot. Bentley then shot at Det. Moore. Det. Moore also swerved into the median to avoid being shot. Bentley then shot at Captain Prince who was also able to swerve and avoid being shot.
Trooper Propes maneuvered back onto the roadway, directly behind the S-10, this time armed with his agency-issued rifle. Det. Moore and Capt. Prince were directly behind Propes again. All the vehicles were traveling at speeds in excess of 90 mph. When Bentley again climbed out the window and began to point the gun, Propes, seeing that there were no innocent civilians within the line of fire, discharged his rifle through his windshield, striking Bentley in the hand and shoulder causing Bentley to drop his gun. The S-10 then stopped on the side of the highway. Bentley and Hawks were taken into custody by Trooper Propes, Det. Moore, and Cpt. Prince without further incident.