Hours after story published, Metro Louisville EMS zeros out fraudulent bills for identity theft victim

Within hours of our investigation, Metro Louisville EMS zeroed out David Hathaway's balance. But his criminal record still needs expunging, and the man who stole his identity remains at large.

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In what David Hathaway calls "a victory," Metro Louisville EMS has officially zeroed out his balance, dropping the $859.40 in bills he received for an ambulance ride he never took.

The notice came within hours of my investigation into how Hathaway's identity was stolen during a Louisville Metro Police SWAT raid, leading to months of bills, an arrest, and legal fees.

'"I'd like to be an example for them to look at and say, this is what happens when you don't take the extra five or 10 minutes to verify somebody in front of you," Hathaway told me.

‘Open investigation’: LMPD won’t explain identity theft that led to the wrong man’s arrest

A LaRue County man’s identity was stolen during a police encounter in Louisville, and the department won’t explain how it happened or how they’ll prevent it from happening again. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are

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What changed- and what hasn't

The EMS charges were just one piece of Hathaway's nightmare.

On August 20, 2025, during a SWAT raid at a house on Melvin Court, a man with no identification gave LMPD officers Hathaway's name and birthdate. Officers wrote a citation under Hathaway's identity without verifying it. The man was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he again used Hathaway's information.

Metro Louisville EMS billed Hathaway repeatedly for the ambulance ride, despite his proof he was at work an hour away that day. Even after Hathaway disputed the charges and filed identity theft reports, the bills kept coming.

Then, on November 20, Hathaway was arrested on his way to work on a warrant for failure to appear. Despite the fact that Hathaway is 6 feet 2 inches and 230 pounds- and the warrant described someone 5 feet 8 inches and 185 pounds- the Bardstown Police officer arrested him anyway. He spent hours in jail and had to post a $500 bond.

Now, Metro Louisville EMS has dropped the charges.

But Hathaway's criminal record is still in question and LMPD has not confirmed whether an expungement order has been filed or when his record will be cleared.

The department also has not provided any information about the status of charges against the man who allegedly stole Hathaway's identity.

An update from Metro Louisville EMS

In September, Hathaway received his first bill from Metro Louisville EMS: $859.40 for an ambulance ride he never took.

He called to dispute it, explaining he was at work at the time and had proof. The billing representative told him it had to be him- the records showed his name and birthday.

He said he asked about his options- who did he need to talk to? What did he need to prove? According to Hathaway, the representative suggested that he file an Identity Theft report.

Hathaway then went to the Hodgenville Police Department, his hometown agency, to file an identity theft report. According to the Metro Louisville Office of Management and Budget, which handles billing for Metro Louisville EMS, the billing office never received a copy of that police report.

When a Hodgenville Police Officer called the billing office directly, they advised that they could not speak to him without a signed patient release form, which they didn't have.

Despite following the proper steps and making the right calls, Hathaway's dispute was tied up in the system.

This week, I called Louisville Metro EMS and started asking questions about the bills, the appeal process and what David needed to do to resolve the issue. They provided a direct contact for David. That person told him exactly what documents he needed to provide, and he sent them right away.

Within hours, the balance was zeroed out.

What's still unresolved

While the dropped EMS charges bring some relief, Hathaway faces ongoing challenges:

The Expungement- LMPD told me the lead detective is "working with the Commonwealth Attorney to have an order to expunge his case before the court to clear his name."

But Hathaway says he hasn't seen any paperwork confirming an expungement motion has been filed. He doesn't have a timeline for when his record will be cleared.

I also contacted the Commonwealth's Attorney's office myself and the public information officer said, "I do not have any indication at this time from the information available that our office ever received the case you mentioned to review."

Until that happens, his arrest record remains. Background checks will show he was arrested and charged with fleeing and evading. Any future interaction with law enforcement could be complicated by this record.

"You always believe that you're not going to jail. Nothing's going to happen to you because you're not doing anything wrong. That's not true. That is not true," Hathaway said.

The Actual Offender- LMPD has not confirmed whether charges have been filed against the man who allegedly used Hathaway's identity. There is no publicly available court case against him.

Hathaway believes he knows who the person is- someone from his past- but I have not been able to confirm this with police because LMPD says the investigation is "open and active" and won't provide details.

Without charges against the actual offender, Hathaway worries it could happen again.

This frustrates Hathaway, and makes him worry about what could happen next.

"He's running free, and you can't tell me when you'll catch him. He's got to mess up in order for you to catch him, because you don't have an address on him. You don't know a location," Hathaway said,"and if the next cop is no better than this cop, then he can still be free, and I can be dealing with this all over again."

The System Failure The most significant unresolved issue is the one LMPD continues to avoid: How did this happen in the first place, and what has changed to prevent it from happening again?

For more than three weeks, LMPD has declined to answer questions about:

• What is the process for officers when arresting/citing someone who does not have an ID? How is identity verified?
• What can be shared about this particular case? How did this happen?
• What is the status of the case for the actual offender?
• What is LMPD's message to David and others who wonder how the wrong person can be cited- and then face the consequences of another person's actions?

A victory, but not justice

Hathaway is grateful the EMS bills are resolved. His wife, Michelle McMunn, expressed relief that at least one piece of this nightmare is over.

But the couple remains frustrated by how long it took- and what it took- to make it happen.

Hathaway still carries the paperwork from his jail release everywhere he goes. He still fears being pulled over and arrested again. He's still out hundreds of dollars in bond money and legal fees. And he still doesn't know if or when his record will be expunged.

The bigger picture

This case reveals critical gaps in how identity is verified during police encounters and how victims of identity theft are treated by the criminal justice system.

David Hathaway did everything right. He disputed the charges immediately. He provided proof he was at work. He filed multiple identity theft reports. He hired a lawyer. He went to court.

But it took a published investigation to get movement in the case.

How many other people are in similar situations but don't have the platform of a news investigation to amplify their story?

When systems fail, someone needs to take responsibility. Someone needs to explain what went wrong and what's being fixed.

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