An Oneida, Tennessee man is facing felony charges stemming from a police chase that started in Scott County, Tennessee, and ended in Williamsburg Sunday afternoon.
Whitley District Judge Fred White entered a not guilty plea for Casey G. Cox, 21, during his arraignment Monday afternoon on charges of speeding 18 mph over limit, first-degree fleeing or evading police, first-degree wanton endangerment, reckless driving, obstructed vision and/or windshield and failure to wear seatbelts.
White appointed the public advocate’s office to represent Cox, scheduled an Aug. 19 preliminary hearing in his case, and set a $10,000 cash bond, according to a court docket.
Cox was arrested about 3:25 p.m. Sunday.
Kentucky State Police Trooper Briston Smith noted on Cox’s arrest citation that he became involved in the chase after being informed a pursuit involving a 2001 green Mercury Mountaineer was traveling on Ky. 92W at a high rate of speed with three police cars in pursuit with lights and sirens activated.
Williamsburg police attempted to use stinger spike strips to deflate the suspect’s tires but were unsuccessful, the citation noted.
When Smith joined the chase, the suspect was allegedly driving in excess of 70 mph, and as Cox was passing Goodwill and Walmart he was allegedly weaving in and out of lanes passing cars, according to the arrest citation.
Cox then continued to flee exiting onto the interstate at Exit 11 northbound at a high rate of speed. The vehicle went off the right shoulder of the roadway slamming on its brakes and causing an Oneida Police Department officer to hit the rear of the Mountaineer damaging the front of his police cruiser, Smith wrote.
Cox’s vehicle came to a stop on the exit ramp and he was taken into custody. The citation noted that Cox had a passenger in his vehicle, who was also placed at risk for serious injury or death in addition to multiple police officers and “every vehicle on the roadway during the pursuit,” the citation stated.
Cox was lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center where he remained incarcerated as of 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
