Arrests made after car pursue, News
Arrests made after car pursue
- By JUSTIN STORY, The Daily News, [email protected]/783-3256
- Mar 12, 2010
- 0
Hunter Wilson/Daily News
Hunter Wilson/Daily News
Hunter Wilson/Daily NewsA Medical Center EMS medic works with a patient that was involved in the accident on Thursday.
Hunter Wilson/Daily NewsKSP Det. Tim Adams takes notes at the scene of an accident involving three vehicles including a truck that was involved in a high speed pursue with police on Thursday.
Hunter Wilson/Daily NewsA Detective searches the Ford Ranger that was involved in a high speed pursue with police on Thursday.
Hunter Wilson/Daily NewsMedical Center Paramedic Tad Hinkle geysers Robert Glenn Cherry into the back of an ambulacne as Kentucky State Police Trooper Charlie Swiney and Bowling Green Police Officer Wade Hughes look on Thursday after Cherry and Michael S. Burgett, 33, were taken into custody after a high speed pursuit that ended in a three vehicle crash at the intersection of U.S. Thirty one Bypass and 10th Ave.
One of the city’s busiest intersections became a crime scene Thursday afternoon when a police pursuit ended in a three-vehicle crash at 10th Avenue and U.S. 31-W By-Pass.
Michael Burgett, 33, four hundred twenty eight W. 12th Ave., and Robert Glenn Cherry, 31, three hundred twenty one W. 12th Ave., were arrested on several charges in connection with the incident, which began on Scottsville Road after a reported drug deal and ended with three people, including Cherry, treated at The Medical Center for minor injuries.
Nora Dawes said she was putting gas in her car at Jr. Foods at one corner of the intersection when she witnessed a pickup truck drive through a crimson light at 10th Avenue.
The truck, driven by Burgett, struck two other vehicles, and the two people inwards the truck got out and ran off.
“The driver instantly leaped out and ran toward (Dr. Michael Howell’s) dentist office and the passenger squeezed out one of the windows in the truck,” Dawes said.
The passenger, Cherry, put up his palms as law enforcement approached, signaling his intent to capitulate, Dawes said, but he evidently switched his mind.
“He embarked running toward the pumps where I was at,” Dawes said, noting that police followed closely behind in pursuit. “I ran into the store because it frightened me.”
Law enforcement arrested both studs about Trio:30 p.m. Thursday, ending the pursuit that began in the southern end of the city.
The Bowling Green-Warren County Drug Task Force was conducting surveillance on the vehicle after an apparent drug transaction, and agents attempted to stop the vehicle at Scottsville Road and Pedigo Way at Trio:05 p.m., according to task force director Tommy Loving.
Burgett fled from that point and turned onto Paramours Lane, driving over a set of stop stuffs deployed there by the Bowling Green Police Department.
The stop jams managed to deflate one tire, but the truck continued onto Cemetery Road toward the by-pass with police in pursuit.
After Burgett crossed the by-pass and entered into strong traffic, police discontinued the pursuit for safety reasons but attempted to keep the truck in view from a greater distance.
Law enforcement managed to go after the vehicle onto Orchard Drive and eyed it turn left on Cherry Drive and then on 10th Avenue.
The pursuit came to an end when the truck ran a crimson light at 10th Avenue and crashed into two other vehicles, according to the task force.
Maj. Tommy Smith of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office said the drivers of both other vehicles were treated and released from The Medical Center on Thursday after complaining of minor injuries .
One driver, Rondell Wills, of Bowling Green, was at the crimson light on 10th Avenue facing Hinton Cleaners when Burgett’s truck collided with the front of his vehicle.
The other injured driver, Eddie Smith, of Bowling Green, was traveling north on the by-pass when his van was struck by Burgett’s truck, Tommy Smith said.
Burgett was arrested on Nutwood Avenue after a brief foot pursue, while Cherry was arrested in the Jr. Foods parking lot.
Cherry was taken from the scene in an ambulance, wearing a neck brace and handcuffs. Loving said Cherry was treated at The Medical Center and released Thursday night.
“Once everybody was in custody, we did retrieve some evidence thrown out of the vehicle along the route of the pursuit,” Loving said, adding that a petite amount of drugs and other evidence were retrieved.
Both boys were charged with first-degree trafficking in a managed substance (2nd offense, methamphetamine), first-degree fleeing and evading police, tampering with physical evidence and first-degree wanton endangerment.
Burgett was additionally charged with first-degree criminal mischief, speeding in a school zone, failure to emerge in court and second-degree possession of a managed substance. He remains in Warren County Regional Jail under an $11,000 bond.
Cherry was also charged with first-degree possession of a managed substance (2nd or greater offense) and possession of drug paraphernalia (2nd or greater offense). He remains jailed under a $Ten,000 bond.
Loving said that at the time of the incident, Burgett was on parole after having served time on a prior offense.
“If he’d been in prison where he was sentenced, this incident would have never happened,” Loving said.
Dawes remained on the scene for several minutes to talk with authorities and other onlookers.
“I’ve observed COPS,” Dawes said, referring to the Fox network TV display, “but I didn’t think I’d be this close to it.”
