County man faces multiple charges after high-speed pursuit
Published 5:54 pm Wednesday, October 11, 2017
A Carter County man faces multiple charges after police say he led officers on a high-speed pursuit.
Deputies with the Carter County Sheriff’s Office arrested Daniel Rhea Bledsoe, 41, of 108 Saratoga Circle, Elizabethton, on Tuesday afternoon and charged him with felony evading arrest, three counts of reckless endangerment, and driving on a revoked license. Deputies also served Bledsoe with two outstanding warrants out of Carter County Criminal Court charging him with violation of probation.
According to court documents, CCSO Deputy Christian Carrier was traveling on West G Street in Elizabethton around 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday when he saw Bledsoe driving a red Chevrolet pickup truck.
Carrier said he knew there were two active warrants for Bledsoe’s arrest and that Bledsoe’s driver’s license was revoked, so he attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the truck. According to Carrier, Bledsoe refused to stop, so he initiated a pursuit.
“Speeds during the pursuit reached 91 mph,” Carrier said. “Sgt. Myles Cook attempted to stop Mr. Bledsoe on Gap Creek Road and was nearly hit head-on. I then discontinued the pursuit the pursuit due to Mr. Bledsoe endangering the public.”
“Capt. (Jeff) Markland and Investigator (Mike) Little also attempted to stop Mr. Bledsoe near Sneed Hill Road and were nearly hit head-on,” Carrier added.
As officers attempted to stop Bledsoe he parked his truck on Constitution Avenue and then fled into the woods heading toward his residence on Saratoga Circle, Carrier said, adding footprints found int he woods led toward Bledsoe’s home.
“Myself along with Capt. Markland, Inv. Little, Lt. (Keith) Range, and Inv. Andy Bean made entry into the residence and found that Mr. Bledsoe had hid in the attic of the residence through an entry point in a bathroom closet,” Carrier said. “Mr. Bledsoe had damaged the ceiling in the house trying to evade arrest and nearly fell through the ceiling three times.”
At one point, Bledsoe fell halfway through a hole in the ceiling and officers were able to take him into custody, Carrier said.
Bledsoe appeared in Carter County General Sessions Court Wednesday morning for arraignment on the new charges against him. Judge Keith Bowers Jr. reset the case for November 13 and directed Bledsoe to appear with an attorney.
Bledsoe is scheduled to appear in Carter County Criminal Court on Oct. 30 on the two violation of probation charges.