Suspect leads officers on high-speed chase
BUFFALO — A 21-minute high-speed pursuit that involved law enforcement from two jurisdictions and traveled along the U.S. Hwy. 27 corridor through most of the county ended with a crash on Buffalo Road near here early Saturday morning.
According to a report filed by deputies at the Scott County Sheriff’s Department, Jerry Lee Hawn, of Morgan County, was apprehended after his car spun out of control and crashed on Buffalo Road, ending a pursuit that had led officers from Robbins and through Oneida to Buffalo.
According to the report, Sgt. David Woodard was on routine patrol in the Elgin community shortly before 4 a.m. Saturday morning when he observed a vehicle, allegedly driven by Hawn and northbound on U.S. Hwy. 27, come to a complete stop at the highway’s intersection with State Hwy. 52 in Elgin, then continue north on Hwy. 27.
The report stated that Sgt. Woodard attempted to turn on the vehicle while informing another Deputy Keith Ducharme, who was also on patrol nearby, to be on the lookout for the vehicle.
Moments later, according to the report, Hawn’s vehicle nearly collided with Ducharme’s patrol cruiser — which was northbound on U.S. 27 — from behind. After allowing Hawn’s vehicle to pass, Ducharme activated his lights and siren in an effort to stop the vehicle. Allegedly, Hawn refused to stop and instead accelerated, leading officers on a pursuit north towards Oneida.
The Oneida Police Department was notified of the pursuit; however, officers did not have an opportunity to deploy the department’s “spike strips.” OPD officers picked up the pursuit as the suspect traveled through Oneida, and later backed off the chase once the suspect had exited city limits on Paint Rock Road.
Moments later, Hawn’s vehicle spun out of control and crashed over a small embankment off Buffalo Road. The report alleges that Hawn wrestled with officers before being taken into custody.
According to Chief Deputy Bobby Ellis of the Sheriff’s Department, Hawn was charged with 7th offense DUI, 7th offense driving on a revoked license, felony evading arrest, reckless endangerment, and two counts of aggravated assault, among other charges.
Paramedics with Scott County EMS responded to the scene of the crash. After determining that Hawn was uninjured, he was transported to Scott County Jail, where he was booked and remained in custody. He was to have been arraigned in Scott County General Sessions Court earlier this week.