Driver charged after vehicle hits police cruiser, another car
Published 8:10 am Wednesday, March 4, 2015
An Elizabethton man faces multiple charges after police say he fled the scene of two car accidents Monday night, including one in which he reportedly struck a police cruiser.
Officers of the Elizabethton Police Department arrested Michael Darrell Crow, 26, of 1273 Charity Hill Road and charged him with evading arrest, two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, violation of financial responsibility and a stop sign violation. In addition, Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Bruce Bolton charged Crow with second offense driving under the influence in connection with the accident involving the police cruiser.
Around 10 p.m. Monday night, officers were warned to be on the lookout for a reckless driver after a 911 caller reported a small red car was swerving into oncoming lanes of traffic and had possibly struck a road sign and another vehicle, EPD Capt. Joy Shoun said. Police found the car at the intersection of South Lynn Avenue and East F Street, where they watched as the driver failed to stop for the stop sign.
Officers tried to stop the car, but the driver, later identified as Crow, continued driving at a slow speed and turned onto East Elk Avenue downtown, Shoun said.
The driver then swerved and struck one of the police cruisers in the rear driver’s side area, Shoun said.
“After the collision, the vehicle continued driving at slow speeds, and officers in the area pursued the vehicle on foot,” Shoun said, adding after a short distance the vehicle stopped on the 400 block of East Elk Avenue, and officers were able to take the driver into custody.
The THP responded to the scene to investigate the accident involving the cruiser, Shoun said, while city officers investigated the other reported accidents.
“It was learned that Crow had been driving on West G Street when his vehicle left its lane of travel, crossed the center continuous left turn lane and entered the opposite lane of travel, sideswiping the other driver’s vehicle,” Shoun said, adding Crow left the scene of that accident and continued driving eastbound on West G Street. “Officers were also able to locate the road sign that Crow was reported to have struck near the intersection of Carter Boulevard and West G Street. The sign was struck and knocked to the ground.”
After Crow was taken into custody, he was transported to a local hospital where he was treated for minor injuries sustained in the crash and then released into the custody of officers, Shoun said.
“No officers or pedestrians were injured in the accidents,” Shoun said.
Crow appeared in Carter County General Sessions Court on Tuesday where Judge Keith Bowers set his bond at a $4,000 corporate bond, which means he will have to go through a professional bonding company in order to post bond, and reset the case for March 16.