THE APEX TIMES
Family of Air Force veteran killed in 2018 Louisville hit-and-run says driver still hasn’t been found, eight years later
Kell Palletti, 32, was fatally struck while riding his bicycle on Westport Road on Aug. 30, 2018. His family says the case remains unsolved and is still seeking the public’s help.
More than eight years after a bicycle rider was fatally struck in a Louisville hit-and-run, the family of the victim says the driver who crashed into him has not been identified, leaving the case unresolved and the family still searching for answers.
According to a report from WAVE, Kell Palletti, 32, was riding his bicycle on Westport Road on Aug. 30, 2018, heading home from work when he was killed in the incident. The report said the driver who struck him has not been found.
The WAVE story, published Aug. 28, 2026, focused on the continuing lack of closure for Palletti’s family. It described how the fatal crash occurred in Louisville and has remained unsolved for years, with no public resolution for the family.
The report also identified Palletti as an Air Force veteran. It did not describe any charges, court proceedings, or a suspect tied to the fatal crash in the years since the hit-and-run.
Hit-and-run cases often hinge on whether investigators can match physical evidence and witness information to a specific vehicle or driver, and whether any tips lead to a credible identification. With no driver located, Palletti’s family says they remain engaged in trying to determine what happened on that roadway in 2018.
As of the Aug. 28, 2026 report, the case is still described publicly as lacking the key fact the family is seeking, the identity of the driver who struck Palletti. The story provided no additional timeline for a breakthrough, and it did not indicate whether new leads have emerged since the original investigation.
For Kentucky residents, unresolved hit-and-run fatalities are a public safety and community accountability issue. In Louisville, the incident involved a bicyclist traveling on a city roadway, raising questions about how such crashes are prevented and how witness and investigative leads are pursued over time.
Why It Matters
- An unresolved fatal hit-and-run leaves a long-term harm for the victim’s family and the broader community’s sense of accountability.
- Because the case remains unsolved years after the crash, it highlights the challenges of maintaining leads and witness information over time.
- The incident involved a bicyclist on a public roadway, underscoring ongoing public safety concerns for non-motorists.
- Without a public suspect or resolution described in the reporting, there is no confirmed closure through the normal criminal-justice process for the family.
Key Facts
- Kell Palletti, 32, was killed on Aug. 30, 2018, while riding his bicycle on Westport Road in Louisville.
- WAVE reported that Palletti was an Air Force veteran.
- The incident was described as a hit-and-run.
- As of an Aug. 28, 2026 WAVE report, the driver who struck Palletti had not been found.
- The WAVE story said the family remains searching for the driver eight years later.