LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A Louisville man was arrested after leading Kentucky State Police on a high-speed chase Thursday night.
Court documents say a KSP trooper was patrolling Dixie Highway near the Gene Snyder Freeway around 11:30 p.m. when he spotted a silver Chrysler 300 with expired registration. After the trooper activated his lights and sirens to initiate a traffic stop, the vehicle initially pulled over.
When the trooper approached, he detected a “strong and distinct odor of marijuana” and asked the driver for his license. The driver, identified as 26-year-old Michael Murphy, responded “No” before speeding away from the stop.
According to the arrest citation, Murphy drove without headlights and at speeds exceeding 120 mph. The pursuit continued onto Joe Prather Highway at Dixie Highway, south of Abbotts Beach Road, where Murphy crossed into oncoming traffic lanes.
Murphy then made an illegal U-turn at a red light on Joe Prather Highway and continued driving recklessly at speeds over 120 mph, the citation states. Troopers deployed stop sticks near the Patton Museum, striking the rear passenger side of the vehicle. Murphy hit the stop sticks at a high rate of speed, causing the wheel to turn back toward another trooper and “rip the pocket off this uniform shirt,” according to the citation.
The chase continued back into Jefferson County near the LG&E plant. Murphy drove on the rim, turned onto Pendleton Road, and continued for about two miles before crashing into a ditch on the right shoulder of Pendleton Road near Stanley Drive.
Murphy was taken into custody. Police said they found a baggie of marijuana on him, along with additional marijuana and rolled blunts inside the vehicle.
According to the citation, Murphy admitted to smoking marijuana during the pursuit and told officers he fled because “he was scared.”
Murphy is being held at Louisville Metro Corrections and faces multiple charges, including speeding, fleeing or evading police, wanton endangerment, and criminal mischief. He is scheduled to appear in court on Saturday.
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