High Speed Pursuit Ends with Arrests of Three People

After leading Warren County authorities and the Tennessee Highway Patrol on a high speed chase through three counties Wednesday afternoon including DeKalb, three people were taken into custody after their van wrecked and caught fire in the Rock Island area of Warren County.
Trooper Dewaine Jennings of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says 30 year old Joey W. Bradford of Manchester, the driver of a 2000 Nissan Quest van, was charged with evading arrest with a motor vehicle, reckless endangerment, and driving on a suspended license.
20 year old Chelsea Lynn Lawson, a front seat passenger of the van, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for violation of probation. Another passenger, 42 year old Troy Lee Lytle was arrested on an outstanding capias.
According to Trooper Jennings, officers of the Warren County Sheriff’s Department got in pursuit of Bradford in Warren County. An officer apparently tried to pull them over after spotting Lawson in the vehicle, knowing there was an outstanding warrant against her. At times during the pursuit, officers tried to get ahead of the van to put down spike strips, but were unsuccessful.
Trooper Jennings says the pursuit entered DeKalb County on Short Mountain Highway. The van turned onto Whorton Springs Road toward Highway 56, then headed south on the McMinnville Highway at Whorton Springs. The van entered the old Blue Springs Road near Mystik market and continued through the back roads until it reached Highway 287 in Warren County. The vehicle turned left onto highway 287, sped toward Highway 56, then crossed the road, and made it’s way toward the Rock Island area. Trooper Jennings says “He (Bradford) went from old Rock Island Road to Pine Bluff Road, missed a turn, left the road, bottomed out, and busted the fuel tank. He then went back onto the road, leaking fuel. He made a right turn, lost control, and went nose first into a ditch line. He attempted to put the van in reverse but he got stuck. We(officers) rushed the vehicle. We saw flames coming from the van. We jerked the (van) doors open and got them out. The van then exploded in flames.”
Trooper Jennings says he initially clocked the van at 88 miles per hour on Short Mountain Highway and later in the pursuit, Bradford at times exceeded speeds of 100 miles per hour. “He was passing double yellow lines, forcing cars off the road, and going through intersections.”
No one was injured.
Members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and Smithville Police Department were called to assist as the pursuit entered DeKalb County.
(Photo provided by State Trooper Dewaine Jennings)