A young Elizabethtown man has been arrested after leading the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office on a pursuit into Hardin County.
Tuesday morning at approximately 8:45, Grayson County Chief Deputy Jarrod Mudd was informed by Central Dispatch that an eastbound Hyundai Sonata was driving recklessly on the Western Kentucky Parkway.
Mudd made contact with the vehicle near the 105 mile marker (two miles west of Leitchfield), and according to the arrest citation, “Between the 105 and 108 mile markers the car would cross between the slow right lane to the left fast lane then back across the slow lane into the emergency lane almost colliding with the guardrail.”
The deputy activated his blue lights after observing the vehicle driving incredibly reckless, with the driver, 20-year-old Andrew Hardison, refusing to stop.
Mudd said Hardison maintained speeds between 70 and 72 miles per hour as the pursuit entered Hardin County. The citation says Hardison continued to drive recklessly, as the “car would go from being completely in the emergency lane, almost contacting the guardrail on several occasions, to the rumble strips on the left of the fast lane.”
Hardison missed hitting a vehicle by “inches” as he drove near the 122 mile marker, according to the citation, as the suspect continued swerving dangerously from one side of the eastbound parkway to the other.
Mudd was then informed by dispatch that Kentucky State Police Troopers were setting up spike strips near the 127 mile marker. As the chase approached the area where the spike strips were placed, Mudd slowed about 10 vehicles that were traveling behind the pursuit.
Between the 127 and 128 mile markers, Hardison ran over the strips, disabling the Sonata and peacefully ending the chase.
Hardison was quickly taken into custody by troopers.
Mudd noted that Hardison was not under the influence of intoxicants, with KSP utilizing a portable breath test on Hardison with no alcohol detected. When asked why he fled police, Hardison told officers he was scared but “could not give an answer on why he failed to stop.”
Hardison was charged with fleeing or evading police (in a motor vehicle) and reckless driving and lodged in the Grayson County Detention Center.
Grayson County Lt. Sonny Poteet and Clarkson Police Officer Rick Clemons, who was not near the parkway when the chase began, assisted Mudd and troopers at the scene.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
