- Tyler Walters was named 2025 Post 3 Trooper of the Year in July.
- Court records reportedly show a blood-alcohol level of 0.083.
- Walters is scheduled for arraignment in Hardin County on August 31.
Kentucky State Police had just put Trooper Tyler Walters in the spotlight. On July 24, the agency named the two-year veteran its 2025 Post 3 Trooper of the Year during its annual awards ceremony. A little more than two weeks later, Walters was arrested on a DUI charge in Hardin County. That timing needs no emphasis.
According to WDRB, citing court records, an Elizabethtown police officer stopped the 25-year-old at 3:39 p.m. Friday. Walters was charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence and possessing an open alcoholic beverage container in a vehicle. The records reportedly list his blood-alcohol level at 0.083, just above Kentucky’s 0.08 legal threshold.
Read: Tennessee Police In Hot Water After Arresting Over 600 Sober People For DUI Since 2017
Walters was taken to the Hardin County Detention Center before being released on pre-arraignment release. A district judge set a $1,000 cash bond, and he is due in court on August 31. The charges remain allegations, and Walters has not been convicted. That said, it’s not exactly a comfortable time for the agency.
In a July 24 release, KSP said its annual ceremony recognized troopers, detectives, and officers who “went above and beyond the call of service” in 2025. Walters was singled out as Post 3’s Trooper of the Year, despite now being assigned to Post 4 in Elizabethtown. Somewhat ironically, Post 4’s awards release, posted the very next day, also mentioned Walters as a great new addition to the group.
The agency has not publicly detailed whether he has been placed on leave or is facing an internal investigation. Based on recent social media posts from the KSP, it appears that the state is pushing to hire more troopers. Depending on how Walters’ case goes, it might need at least one more.
