Remembering Muhlenberg judge lost to deadly storm

MUHLENBERG, Ky. (WFIE) - 11 people died during the storms in Muhlenberg County including a prominent judge.

Much of what made up the city of Bremen is now gone. Trees that once stood tall, homes that once held families, and cars that once carried them to and from work and school. County judge executive Curtis McGehee says the storm left more than just a mark.

“I was watching it closely, and as soon as it moved through the area dispatch called me to tell me multiple people were trapped inside of their homes. So I got in my vehicle and raced toward Bremen,” says McGehee.

Some of those people didn’t make it out. 11 of them. Including circuit court judge Brian Crick, a long time close friend of McGehee’s.

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“The thing about Judge Crick is he was a friend to a lot of people. He was very personable. People knew that behind that robe there was a human being that had a lot of dignity and respect for others,” McGehee recalled.

McGehee got to know Crick well when they first ran for public office together in 2010. Crick for District judge, McGehee for sheriff.

“We both knew that we had to work really hard if we had any chance of winning. I would tell people, it seems like everywhere I’ve been Judge Crick was always just ahead of me,” he says.

This is McGehee’s community he’s come to love and know well, including those 11 people who died.

“I knew some of the others as well, some very very fine people. This is a pretty small community, pretty small county, our population’s 31,000. That being said, a lot of us know each other, we know each other well,” McGehee says.

McGehee hopes the community remembers Crick’s wishes for them.

“I think he would be so proud of the fact that we are pulling together the way that we are to help people that were victimized by this storm. He would encourage us to move forward in a positive way. He wanted people to be happy, and he had the ability to make people happy.”

A funeral service for Crick will be held on Tuesday, December 28 at 6:00 p.m. at the Sacramento Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

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