A Leitchfield man has been arrested after fleeing and resisting officers.
Sunday morning at approximately 1:15, Grayson County EMS employees (who were returning from Louisville) notified Central Dispatch that a Mercedes was “driving erratically” on the westbound Western Kentucky Parkway near the 115-mile marker.
The vehicle, being driven by 64-year-old Charles S. Kiper, exited the parkway at Leitchfield and again drove erratically as the suspect traveled north on South Main Street, according to the arrest citation.
Leitchfield Police Officers Chase Melton and Eugene Cain made contact with the Mercedes at North English Street and West Walnut Street. While running the license plate of the vehicle, police discovered Kiper was driving on a DUI suspended license, the citation states. The registration for the vehicle was also expired.
Melton activated his emergency lights as Kiper approached the Sunbeam Road railroad tracks but Kiper failed to stop. Melton then activated his siren, but Kiper again refused to stop.
The suspect continued driving the short distance to his residence where Melton and Cain attempted to place Kiper under arrest. Kiper, though, attempted to run into his home, as officers “had to physically restrain (Kiper) from attempting to flee into his residence,” according to the citation.
“The suspect then attempted to pull away” from the officers “when he made a fist and attempted to enter a fighting stance. The suspect ignored all commands to place his hands behind his back,” the citation states, resulting in police physically placing Kiper’s hands behind his back in order to put him in handcuffs.
Kiper was arrested and charged with two counts of fleeing or evading police (motor vehicle, on foot), resisting arrest, driving on a suspended or revoked license, no registration plates, and no registration receipt.
He was lodged in the Grayson County Detention Center.
On the afternoon of Friday, December 4, 2021, a Grayson County Schools bus driver notified Dispatch that a white truck, being driven by Kiper, was driving recklessly — nearly hitting other vehicles head-on — as it traveled north on Anneta Road.
Constable Mark Stanton, who was already in the area, made contact with the vehicle and followed the truck as he observed Kiper swerving recklessly all over the roadway.
A traffic stop was executed by Stanton in the 1300 block of Anneta Road, with Leitchfield Police Department Sgt. Robert Jackson and then-Officer Adam Cottrell arriving within seconds of the stop.
Kiper was given a field sobriety test and arrested. He was charged with DUI and reckless driving and lodged in the Grayson County Detention Center.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
