Monday, April 28, 2008

Fleeing Driver Crashes Into Pond

   A Leoma man who allegedly threatened an East Lawrence woman fled from authorities over the weekend, and crashed into a pond.

   The victim, age 33, summoned Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputies to her Countrywood Drive home around 12:30 a.m. Saturday. She reported that she had heard the sound of an engine revving, and a car door shutting. When she stepped out, she told deputies the man began to shout obscenities at her, accused her of “ratting him out” to a local bail bondsman, then made threats to burn her house and kill her.

   As he approached the house, the reporting deputy reported seeing a vehicle leaving the driveway and heading toward him. He indicates that he engaged his blue lights and attempted to stop the vehicle, but that the driver fled. A reserve deputy alleged that the driver narrowly missed striking his vehicle head-on as he fled.

   Deputies pursued the driver eastward along Pulaski Highway into Giles County. As they approached the Powder Keg market, they report that the driver met two vehicles, then passed a truck in a no pass zone.

   Approaching the Highway 64/Choates Creek intersection, they indicate that the driver swerved, ran off the right shoulder of the roadway, then overcorrected and ran off the left side of the roadway. The vehicle, they report, began to travel backwards until it struck a tree, then ran into a pond.

   Deputies ordered the driver onto the ground, then noticed there was a female passenger. Uncertain whether the passenger was the victim of the initial crime, they assisted her out of the vehicle and asked for her identity. They report she was not the same victim.

   While the driver reportedly suffered no serious injuries, the passenger was complaining of pain to one arm and an ambulance was dispatched to the scene.

   Deputies indicate that the driver, Charles Kirt Graves, 25, of 20 Embry Road, Leoma, was taken into custody and transported to the Lawrence County Jail. They quickly learned that there were outstanding warrants against Graves in Lawrence County for failure to appear for booking and in Giles County for violation of probation.

   A breath-alcohol test at the jail revealed Graves’ blood alcohol level to be .17.

   Graves was booked under charges that include violation of probation, failure to appear for booking, driving under the influence, evading arrest, and three counts of reckless endangerment. He is scheduled for an initial appearance in Lawrence County General Sessions Court on May 5.

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