Tennessee man facing multiple charges after police chase in Paducah

PADUCAH, Ky. (KBSI) – A Tennessee man faces multiple charges after police say he nearly hit his girlfriend with a car in a convenience store parking lot. Then, police say he caused a crash on Interstate 24 that sent a Metropolis, Ill. man to the hospital.

Darrell D. Steele, 33, of Mooresburg, TN, faces charges of first-degree assault/domestic violence (attempt), second-degree assault, first-degree wanton endangerment, two counts of first-degree criminal mischief, first-degree fleeing or evading police (motor vehicle), first-degree fleeing or evading police (on foot), two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, driving under the influence, reckless driving and driving with no operator’s license.

Paducah police were called at 1:53 p.m. Friday, March 10 to the parking lot of the Pilot Travel Center at 5353 Cairo Road in reference to a hit-and-run.

An employee told officers her 2012 Chevrolet Cruze was parked on the lot while she was working inside, and was hit.

Another employee came outside with a woman who said she had gotten into an argument with her boyfriend, Darrell Steele, in the parking lot and had gotten out of the car. She said she heard the car hit something as it left the parking
lot, but she didn’t turn around to look.

Surveillance video showed the woman walking toward the door of the business, and a man driving a gray Nissan toward her at a high rate of speed. The Nissan hit the Chevrolet Cruze and spun it around, nearly hitting the woman.

As the investigation was ongoing at the Pilot, Paducah 911 received a call about a man in a gray Nissan near 2525 Cairo Road. The caller said the man was slumped over the steering wheel and the car’s air bags were deployed.

As officers started that way, the caller said the man appeared intoxicated, but had left, heading back toward Interstate 24.

Officers were looking for the car when it came back at the Pilot.

An officer pulled in behind the car to try to stop it, but it pulled from the parking lot onto Cairo Road, and turned onto the Interstate 24 eastbound on-ramp.

The officer activated he emergency lights and siren, but the driver of the Nissan accelerated quickly up the on-ramp and onto the highway as Liebenrood tried to catch up with it.

Moments after the Nissan got onto the interstate, the officer saw it try to drive between two vehicles. Police say the Nissan hit a 2007 Toyota Tacoma driven by Robert L. Ogden, 50, of Metropolis, causing it to run off the right side of the road and roll several times down the embankment, coming to rest against a fence.

The Nissan then hit a 2018 Ford Transit van driven by Robert L. Doyle, 61, of Murray before running off the left side of the road into the median.

The Nissan hit the barrier cable, which prevented it from entering the oncoming, westbound traffic.

Paducah police say Steele jumped out of the car and ran across the westbound lanes of the interstate. The officer chased Steele on foot and caught him as he tried to climb a fence.

In an interview after his arrest, police say Steele admitted having consumed numerous alcoholic beverages and smoking marijuana earlier.

Steele was arrested and booked into McCracken County Regional Jail.

The driver of the pickup truck was pulled from his vehicle by the Paducah Fire Department and taken to Mercy Health Lourdes Hospital for treatment of his injuries.