None of the four men who allegedly led police on a high-speed chase from a Richmond Waffle House to Lexington claim to have been driving the gray Chevy Malibu.
During a combined preliminary hearing Wednesday in Madison District Court for three of the men involved, public defender Sam Cox interrogated Richmond Police Officer Devon Thomas as to why Cox’s client, Shawn D. Caldwell, was charged as the driver.
“They all gave statements, but none of them claimed to be the driver,” Thomas said. “One of the detectives on scene described the driver and later identified Shawn. I did not see the driver exit the car.”
Thomas testified that although he was right behind the car for the better part of the pursuit, he lost track of it when it exited Interstate 75 in Lexington. When the vehicle struck a light pole and crashed, Caldwell, 18, Robert Fitzgerald Greer, 19, and Devin L. Chenault, 20, reportedly bailed out of the vehicle and attempted to flee.
Thomas said when he reached the crash scene, the men had exited the vehicle, with the exception of Marcus Graves, 18, who was injured.
The incident began when the men allegedly refused to pay for a bill at Waffle House on the Eastern Bypass, which totaled about $100. Acting RPD Chief Wanda Singleton and two plainclothes detectives patrolling in the area noticed a disturbance at the restaurant and attempted to stop the men.
However, the suspects got into the car and nearly ran down the officers before heading for the interstate, said Sgt. Willard Reardon, RPD public affairs officer.
“We were on I-75 Northbound with my emergency equipment activated,” Thomas said. “The fleeing vehicle sped up to speeds of 110 miles per hour. I gave pursuit and several other agencies also joined in.”
Other patrol vehicles pulled up next to the car and attempted to strike the car to run it off the road, Thomas testified, but they were unsuccessful. After the crash, the men were apprehended in the middle of a nearby horse farm where they had fled.
Caldwell is charged with reckless driving, first-degree driving under the influence, first-degree fleeing and evading police, not having an operator’s license, first-degree fleeing and evading police (on foot) and nine counts of first-degree wanton endangerment.
Cox argued that Caldwell and Chenault look similarly and could have been confused for one another by detectives who identified Caldwell as the driver. However, Special Judge Mike Harrod found sufficient probable cause to send the case to the grand jury with all charges intact.
Chenault’s public defender Tim Despotes also contested identity theft charges made against his client. Despotes argued that if anything, Chenault should be charged with giving police a false name, which is a misdemeanor offense.
However, Chenault allegedly not only gave his brother’s name instead of his own, he also gave his brother’s date of birth and social security number to police. His identity was not discovered until he was taken to the Madison County Detention Center, where it also was discovered that there were two Fayette County warrants for his arrest.
Harrod upheld the charge, saying that according to the statute, a person is guilty of identity theft if they give another person’s personal identifying information in an attempt to avoid detection. Chenault also is charged with first-degree fleeing and evading, alcohol intoxication and resisting arrest.
Charges against Greer for alcohol intoxication, first-degree fleeing and evading and resisting arrest, also were referred to the grand jury.
Chenault and Caldwell still are lodged in the Madison County Detention Center. Chenault is lodged on a $5,000 cash bond and Caldwell is lodged on a $10,000 cash bond. Greer was released on a $1,000 cash bond.
Local News
Three charged in pursuit sent to grand jury
Refusal to pay Waffle House bill led to chase
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Friday at library : Lecturer to portray founder of Berea
John G. Fee, abolitionist and founder of both Berea and Berea College, will be portrayed Friday night by performer Obadiah Ewing-Roush as part of Kentucky Humanities Council Chautauqua performance series at the Madison County Public Library. There is no charge to attend the 7 p.m. event.
As the son of a slave-holding father, Fee witnessed firsthand the benefits of having slaves and the profits that could be made from their labor. When he graduated from college and enrolled in Lane Theological Seminary, he began to understand the inherent wrong and destructiveness of slavery. -
Berea woman dies Tuesday in Laurel County crash
A Berea woman, Tommie Johnson, 60, died Tuesday evening in a Laurel County crash, according to the the Laurel Sheriff’s Office.
The accident took place about 7 p.m. at the junction of Maple Grove Road and KY 363 south of London, as Johnson was attempting to turn onto the state highway.
Laurel County Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore said Johnson’s Chevrolet Cavalier pulled out in front of a Dodge Durango driven by Charles Joseph, 19, that was traveling south on KY 363.
After being extricated from her vehicle, Johnson was transported to St. Joseph-London hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Joseph also was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries, according to the accident report. -
Finally February
Ian Rosser, an Eastern Kentucky University student from Lexington, clears snow from his car parked on campus Wednesday
morning after about an inch of snow fell in Richmond. Temperatures are forcast to be in the upper 40s today. Kentucky has seen a lot of rain in the past few months, as was predicted by the Farmer's Almanac, but very little snow has fallen. -
Volunteers needed for equine therapy
The Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center will be hosting two, one-day volunteer training workshops for those interested in helping others with special needs.
The volunteer orientation days will be Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but only one day of training is required, according to Mark Martin who co-owns Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center (AFTEC) with his wife Cheryl.
The all-volunteer organization, which is based in Jackson County, uses horses to help humans deal with physical and emotional challenges. -
Man accused of holding samurai sword to girlfriend’s throat
A Madison grand jury will hear the case of a man accused of threatening to cut his girlfriend’s head off, and attacking her father with a samurai sword.
Russell M. Masters, 42, of Richmond, is charged with two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, which is a Class D felony, and fourth-degree assault (domestic violence with minor injury) and resisting arrest, which both are Class A misdemeanors. Masters could receive one to five years in prison on each wanton endangerment charge, and the misdemeanors both carry a maximum sentence of one year in jail. -
Arrest made in connection with stolen jewelry, computer
Richmond police have made an arrest in connection with property stolen from two homes last fall.
A woman reported to police Monday that she had discovered several items that were missing from her home on South Killarney Drive and her grandmother’s home on Raintree Drive, according to Richmond Police Chief Larry Brock. The items were a set of gold hoop earrings, a white Sony Vaio laptop, a yellow gold heart pendant, a gold tennis bracelet and a ladies’ wedding band with a diamond setting.
The complainant said the belongings had gone missing sometime between August and October. -
US 25 business owners scared of five-lane plan
Voices of Berea business owners upset about upcoming construction on US 25 will be taken to the state level, according to city administrator Randy Stone.
Several people operating businesses along a section of US 25 gave comments Tuesday to the Berea City Council, asking them reconsider plans to widen the road to five lanes.
The design is a five-lane highway with a center turn lane and a 10-foot shared use path on one side and a 5-foot sidewalk on the other side. -
Grand jury to hear copper theft case
The attorney for a man accused of stealing copper from a handful of electric poles questioned his identification as the same person who took copper from 32 poles two days earlier.
Public defender Meena Mohanty questioned Richmond police officer Nicholas Duvall during a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Madison District Court. Her client, Jeffrey W. Nester, 46, of Fourth Street, was arrested in connection with a Jan. 23 copper theft. He is charged with second-degree criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking, possession of burglary tools and failure to notify address change to the Department of Transportation. These charges are all misdemeanors that, at most, carry a sentence of one year in prison. -
Judge weighs constitutionality of legislative redistricting
Kentucky’s deadline for filing to run for legislative seats was in flux on Monday because a judge did not immediately rule on a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of newly redrawn district boundaries.
Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said he expects to enter a ruling in the case by mid-week.
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Couple recovering from injuries suffered in weekend house fire
A couple was hospitalized after their home was set ablaze Sunday by a spark from a cigar, according to a county fire official.
County Fire Chief Jim Cox said the city and county fire departments were called to the home at 111 Concord Road in the early afternoon. Waco Volunteer Fire Department and the Richmond Fire Department also responded.
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