Two Illinois residents are facing numerous charges, including assault and wanton endangerment, following a high-speed pursuit that began on East Ninth Street Monday and ended in Hopkins County.
According to the Hopkinsville Police Department report, officers responded to East Ninth Street to locate a stolen vehicle and the vehicle was found at the Hucks gas station. When officers attempted a traffic stop, the driver of the vehicle—37-year-old Christopher Smith—allegedly fled at a high rate of speed.
The pursuit continued onto the Pennyrile Parkway, reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour and Smith allegedly tried to ram police cruisers. Kentucky State Police successfully deployed spike strips and eventually the vehicle came a stop at Exit 30 in Hopkins County.
Smith, along with passenger 39-year-old Jennifer Marrs, resisted arrest, resulting in several officers sustaining lacerations. The report states that Marrs never tried to stop the pursuit in any way, and that when the vehicle finally stopped, both occupants asked officers why they were stopped.
Both Smith and Marrs were arrested and charged with fleeing or evading police, first-degree wanton endangerment, third-degree assault of a police officer, first-degree criminal mischief, felony receiving stolen property, resisting arrest, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, multiple traffic violations, and destruction of a vin number.