DEPUTY INJURED SLIGHTLY IN CRASH

What should have been a routine traffic stopped turned into a pursuit through Grant County, ending in a head-on collision involving a deputy sheriff’s cruiser.

Bryan Marshall

This deputy sheriff’s cruiser was struck during a chase on July 11. Grant County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Wright was treated for minor injuries. Police are still looking for the driver of the other vehicle.

A Kentucky State Police trooper clocked a 1995 Chevy Prism going in excess of 90 miles per hour shortly before 9 p.m. July 11 on northbound Interstate 75 between Williamstown and Dry Ridge.

When the trooper attempted to pull the vehicle over, the driver drove off the Dry Ridge exit and headed toward Williamstown.

Kentucky State Police was joined by the  Grant County Sheriff’s Department and Williamstown Police in the pursuit.

The cruisers followed the Prism as it crossed over the Williamstown Bridge, which is closed for construction.

The fleeing vehicle was able to avoid stop sticks used to slow the car down.

“He turned into the Sunset Drive area in Williamstown and ran into a dead end street,” said Grant County Sheriff Chuck Dills. “He turned around and came and struck Deputy Mike Wright’s vehicle head on. As soon as he hit the deputy head on, he bailed out of the car and fled on foot.”

Law enforcement tracked the suspect toward I-75 Exit 154 in Williamstown with the sheriff department’s K-9 unit to no avail.

Wright was taken to St. Elizabeth Grant County where he was treated and released.

“He has a possibly sprained ankle and he hit his elbow pretty good,” Dills said. “He was mainly stiff and sore when he got back from the hospital getting X-rays. He took a pretty good hit.”

Police are still searching for a Richmond man who was driving the vehicle.

The man, who police have not identified, was driving on a suspended license.

Now, Dills said the suspect will likely face charges of wanton endangerment, assault of a police officer and fleeing and evading when he is apprehended.

As for the cruiser, Dills said it may be a total loss.

“The whole right front end is pretty bad,” he said. “The right wheel is torn off or loose. There’s a good possibility that it could be totaled. It’s a fairly new car too.”