I-65 chase ends in wreck
A Montgomery woman is facing multiple charges after leading local law enforcement on a 14-mile chase along I-65 Tuesday night.
About 10 p.m., Clanton Police received a call of a possibly stolen vehicle, a red Dodge Charger with Tennessee license plates, that fled from Elmore County. While on routine patrol, Officer Robert Bland caught up with a vehicle matching that description around the 208-mile marker of Interstate 65 North. Officer Jason Harris was nearby, traveling near the 210-mile marker.
While Bland was confirming the vehicle plates, they approached Harris and the suspect made an aggressive move to get around the patrol car driven by Harris.
“Before my officers even activated their lights to pull the car over, and before any confirmation was returned from Elmore County, she struck the rear of Officer Harris’ police car,” said Police Chief Brian Stilwell. “Officers activated their lights to perform a traffic stop, and then she then tried to go around him on the left side, partially in the median, sideswiping Officer Harris’ patrol car.”
The officers pursued the vehicle to about the 215-mile marker, where the Interstate was shut down by another Clanton officer.
“At this point, they had her boxed in and she began ramming the patrol cars. The officers were attempting to make entry to the car and she just kept ramming cars, almost striking several officers,” Stilwell said.
The suspect was able to escape the roadblock, however, and continue north on I-65. Chilton County Sheriff’s Deputies placed a spike strip at the 217-mile marker, but the suspect avoided the strip. Second and third attempts, by deputies and Jemison Police, respectively, were successful, and the Charger’s tires gave way around the 221-mile marker.
The suspect then tried to turn around in the median and travel south on I-65, but the median was too deep and the vehicle overturned near the 222-mile marker.
The driver, 50-year-old Lucrietia Yates Bishop, was transported to Shelby Baptist Medical Center, treated and released into the custody of Clanton Police. She is charged with three counts reckless endangerment, reckless driving, eluding a police officer, criminal mischief first degree (damage to police car), DUI controlled substance and numerous other traffic violations. Other charges may be pending from other jurisdictions concerning the car.
“She apparently was on probation under community corrections in Montgomery County,” Stilwell said.
Bishop is currently being held in the Chilton County Jail with no bond.
Stilwell thanked the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office and Jemison Police for their assistance, and added he was glad that no one was seriously hurt.