SPFD Officer Almost Hit By Vehicle From Sat. Night Crash
SPRINGFIELD TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) – Around 11:oopm Saturday night a Springfield Police Officer was almost run over by a fleeing driver following a traffic stop off Tom Austin Hwy.
A short time later police would be called to a motor vehicle accident involving that same vehicle. This story is an update to that accident. (Original report)
Just before the traffic stop earlier in the evening the vehicle was spotted by Springfield Police in a parking lot moving at a “high rate of speed toward Tom Austin Hwy,” according to a report obtained by Smokey Barn News.
The driver nearly struck a vehicle that was traveling north on Tom Austin Hwy directly in front of a Springfield Police Officer’s patrol vehicle, the report said. The Officer initiated a traffic stop, exited his patrol vehicle and approached the driver side window.
The driver, now identified by Springfield Police as 49 year old James R Ford of Greenbrier driving a silver Toyota Tacoma pick up truck, rolled down the window. The officer “immediately smelled a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the vehicle,” the report stated.
Ford told the officer he had a couple of beers. The officer then asked Ford to turn the truck off and exit the vehicle.
Mr. Ford then put the vehicle in reverse and started slowly backing up. The Officer again advised Mr. Ford to stop the vehicle and turn the truck off. The Officer then realized that Mr. Ford was not going to stop the vehicle.
As the Officer reached for his pepper spray, Ford put the vehicle into drive and fled onto Tom Austin Hwy at a high rate of speed, almost striking the Officer.
As Ford pulled onto the Tom Austin Hwy, he nearly struck a passing motorist who had to come to a complete stop to avoid a collision, the report stated.
The Officer immediately put out a BOLO with a description of the vehicle and driver.
About two hours later Police, Fire and EMS were called to a motor vehicle crash on Experiment Station Road between HWY 41 and Old Greenbrier Pike. (Location of crash) Police quickly identified the vehicle as the same one that fled earlier.
Accident investigators say the vehicle was heading North on Experiment Station Road from HWY 41 when the driver failed to negotiate a turn and left the roadway.
After leaving the right shoulder of the road, the vehicle then impacted a utility pole and spun around, finally coming to rest at the bottom of an embankment just missing a row of trees.
After the crash police say it appears that the driver (alleged to be Ford) got out, locked up the vehicle and simply walked away.
Police ran the vehicle registration which led them to Mr Ford. Robertson County Sheriff’s Deputies made contact with Ford at his residence in Greenbrier. Springfield Police arrived and took Mr. Ford into custody for Evading Arrest, and Reckless Endangerment.
Ford was booked into the Robertson County Jail on a $16,000 bond.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact Springfield Police at 615-384-8422.
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