0522 01
This summer feel continues today before a chance of rain and slightly cooler temps comes back into play tomorrow evening, could see a few thunderstorms, weather talk is on the way.
A Prestonsburg Police officer used his car to bring a high-speed chase to an end, as it approached a campground early Monday morning. It all started around 12:30 a.m. Monday, when an officer parked at the intersection of North Lake Drive and University spotted a car drive past him. The driver, named Michael Brake, 19, of Hazel Green, revved his engine loudly as he passed, then shut off his lights and fled at a high rate of speed. That started a chase which kept up to Cliff Road, where the car was clocked going 90 miles an hour in a 35 mile an hour zone. Brake suddenly made a righthand turn and bottomed out on the railroad tracks, but soon freed himself and proceeded back out to U.S. 23, where the he slammed on his brakes on Abbott Mountain, nearly causing a collision with the pursuing officer. The chase then went on as Brake turned onto Route 3 near Highlands ARH, then into Jenny Wiley State Resort Park. Once the car turned into the campground, the officer made the decision to ram it with his cruiser, rather than have the chase threaten the safety of campers. Brake was arrested and charged with fleeing police, wanton endangerment, criminal mischief and numerous traffic violations.
(Michael Brake)
Pikeville Police were able to safely defuse a tense situation Monday afternoon, when a man allegedly holed up in his house and threatened to shoot officers. It all began with a report that Herbert Courtney, 51, of Pikeville, had violated an emergency protective order. The person reporting the violation told police Courtney had a rifle and a handgun, and he had threatened to shoot any officers who showed up at his house. Police then went to his home on Granite Drive, but Courtney didn’t respond to attempts to contact him. Tear gas was then used inside the home, with no effect.
Courtney’s daughter contacted police, saying he could see the officers on a camera and wouldn’t come out. Courtney finally began communicating with officers after they announced they had brought in a police dog. He was then taken into custody following a brief struggle.
Courtney is now charged with menacing, terroristic threatening, resisting arrest and violating an EPO. All of the charges are misdemeanors.
(Herbert Conley)
A Pike County woman who was pulled over for improper equipment soon found herself staring at a drug trafficking charge, after the officer spotted something suspicious when she went to retrieve her license and insurance. Pikeville Police pulled over Debra Lynn Smith, 28, of Pikeville, when an officer spotted her driving with a cracked windshield, no side mirror and a burned-out brake light. After the officer asked for her license and insurance, she reached into a backpack, allowing the officer to see a syringe inside. That gave him probable cause to conduct a search, resulting in the discovery of a large amount of meth, a smaller amount of fentanyl, scales, and a bag of syringes inside a purse. Smith told the officer that the purse wasn’t hers. She was arrested and charged with meth trafficking, possession of fentanyl and paraphernalia, and a number of traffic violations.
(Debra Lynn Smith)
One woman is dead, and one man is injured after a crash near the Perry and Breathitt County line. Police said the crash happened at approximately 12 p.m. on Tuesday on Highway 15 near County Line Church and AmeriGas. This is a developing story.
On Monday, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announced the Magoffin County Fiscal Court will receive $32,420 in County Road Aid emergency funds. The money will be used to repair a slide on Meredith Branch Road.
