17 year old accused of assaulting girlfriend, leading Paducah police on chase

PADUCAH, Ky. (KBSI) – A 17 year old faces several charges after police say he assaulted his girlfriend and led police on a chase.

The teen faces charges of first-degree unlawful imprisonment, first-degree wanton endangerment, two counts of first-degree fleeing and evading police (vehicle and on foot), first-degree criminal mischief, first-degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), driving under the influence (aggravated), driving with a suspended operator’s license (aggravated), possession of drug paraphernalia, fourth-degree assault and reckless driving.

Paducah police were called just after 12:30 p.m. Tuesday after a witness told dispatchers he saw a woman try to get out of a red Chevrolet Cobalt on the parking lot of a business near New Holt Road and Hinkleville Road. The witness said a man dragged her back into the car by her hair and was hitting her.

Officers arrived on scene as the Cobalt was pulling out of the parking lot and tried to stop it.

Police say the driver of the Cobalt refused to stop and drove away from officers.

The officers, fearful for the woman’s safety, continued to chase it. Police say the car reached speeds in over 100 mph on Interstate 24, and was passing other vehicles on the shoulder.

The driver of the Cobalt turned onto John Puryear Drive and headed back into Paducah.

A McCracken County deputy deployed stop sticks at the intersection of John Puryear Drive and Wayne Sullivan Drive which punctured one of the Cobalt’s tires. A Paducah police officer deployed a second tire deflation device near Fire Station 2 on Wayne Sullivan Drive and the successfully disabled the vehicle. The vehicle jumped a curb and stopped at the edge of the road.

The driver tried to run away, but was arrested after a brief foot chase.

The 20-year-old woman passenger was safely removed from the car and checked out on scene by Mercy ambulance personnel. Three dogs in the vehicle were released to McCracken County Animal Control officers.

The driver was booked into the McCracken County Juvenile Detention Facility.

Paducah police say additional charges are pending.

No one was injured. No vehicles were reported damaged other the Cobalt.

The Paducah Police Department was assisted by the McCracken County Sheriff’s Department and Kentucky State Police.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Paducah Police Department at 270-444-8550.