KRS 70.150: Sheriff to patrol roads -- Record of accidents.

(1) The sheriff of each county and his deputies shall patrol all public roads in his

county, and direct, regulate and control the traffic on such roads so as to maintain a

maximum degree of safety.

(2) He shall, as soon as possible, after receiving informatio n of their occurrence,

investigate all accidents and wrecks occurring upon the roads. When possible, he

shall determine the position of each of the vehicles connected therewith

immediately before and after each accident or wreck. Where accidents or wrecks

appear to have been made by the vehicles or by the parties owning, operating or

occupying the vehicles at the time of the accident or wreck, he shall make a record

of the measurement, direction and location of all tracks and visible impressions

made on and about the road that have a tendency to disclose the cause of the

accident. He shall make a record in his office of his observations and findings. He

shall ascertain, if possible, the license number of each of the vehicles connected

therewith, the number of each engine and the make of each vehicle, the name of the

state, territory, district, department and county issuing the license, the name and

address of the owner or operator of the vehicle, the name and address of each

occupant of the vehicles, the name and address of each witness, and the name and

address of each person who immediately thereafter came upon the ground or who

saw evidence of the position of the vehicles immediately before or after the accident

or wreck, or who heard a statement made by th e parties owning or occupying either

vehicle as to how or who caused the accident or wreck.

(3) When any person is wounded or killed, or there is reason to believe that criminal

negligence or carelessness was the cause of the accident or wreck, the office r

making the inspection, shall take affidavits or statements from all witnesses who

have information of incriminating facts connected therewith. For the purpose of

securing affidavits or statements, each sheriff and deputy may upon his own

initiative, issue and serve a subpoena upon witnesses requiring them to testify, and

may administer an oath to each witness before testifying, and may reduce the

testimony to writing. The sheriff shall return the affidavits and statements, together

with a report in writin g of all information required, to the county attorney and a

duplicate of the report and statements or affidavits to the circuit clerk for

submission to the grand jury next to be convened in his county.