High-speed chase ends with rammed police cars

A Williamsburg man is facing traffic and drug-related charges in Laurel County following a high-speed chase that ended when he rammed into two police cruisers on I-75 Exit 38.
Richard D. Smith, 20, was charged with DUI, two counts of wanton endangerment of a police officer, speeding, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, among others, following the chase.
The pursuit started early Thursday morning about 3:00 a.m. in Corbin when off-duty Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy Alan Onkst observed Smith leaving the Speedway gas station on Cumberland Falls Hwy. at a high rate of speed. Onkst said Smith had just stolen a tank full of gas from the station.
“He pulled across all the lanes real fast and headed to the on ramp with no lights on,” Onkst said. “I tried to pull him over at the top of the ramp and it was off to the races.”
Onkst chased Smith northbound on I-75 and he was joined by a Kentucky State Police unit at Exit 29. Both officers tried to box Smith in while going down the interstate, but Onkst said he simply used the emergency lane and median to pass cars.
“He was all over the interstate,” he said. “We tried to do a rolling roadblock … but he passed a truck on the right hand side of the shoulder and got around.”
Onkst said police were lying in wait for Smith at Exit 38. Authorities planned to slow him up in a construction zone. Instead he exited and rammed into a London Police Department cruiser waiting at the top of the ramp, totally destroying it. He also hit a KSP cruiser, but did only minor damage.
“He tore the whole front end of the London cruiser off,” Onkst said. “It was a pretty wild deal.”
Onkst said he plans to obtain a warrant in Whitley County for Smith on theft and traffic charges.
KSP Trooper Don Sivils made the arrest and is currently investigating the case.