By Ronica Shannon
A Lexington man who pleaded guilty Thursday during a pretrial conference in Madison Circuit Court to three charges involving fleeing police, criminal mischief and drugs was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Tyrone Hartsfield, 31, of Kilkenny Drive, pleaded guilty to first-degree fleeing or evading police, first-degree criminal mischief and first-degree possession of a controlled substance first offense (cocaine). Nine misdemeanor charges were dropped.
Madison Circuit Judge Jean Chenault Logue recommended that Hartsfield serve five years on the fleeing charge, one year on the criminal mischief charge and two years on the controlled substance charge.
His sentences are to be served consecutively, Logue said.
When Hartsfield was indicted by a Madison grand jury in September, he originally was charged with fleeing or evading police, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, menacing, wanton endangerment, unlawful imprisonment, possession of a controlled substance, reckless driving, criminal mischief, tampering with physical evidence and failure to maintain automobile insurance.
Hartsfield was first spotted in the early morning hours of Aug. 27 by Richmond Police Officer Kurt Heatherton on patrol in the downtown area.
Spotting a gold Honda Accord occupied by a male and female parked close to the Home Lumber Co. on North Third St., at 1:42 a.m., the officer stopped to investigate.
As he neared the car, the driver, later identified as Hartsfield, started the vehicle and despite Heatherton’s commands for him to stop, started to flee the scene, said Sgt. Willard Reardon at the time of the indictment. Reardon serves as the public information officer for the Richmond Police Department.
Moving away from the area, Hartsfield was next spotted traveling north on Red House Road by Officer Joe Johnson.
“Officer Johnson initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle and Hartsfield stopped in the driveway of 1509 Red House Road, but refused orders to turn off the vehicle and exit,” Reardon said.
Hartsfield then allegedly accelerated up the driveway of the home and around a barn located on the property, police said.
Following the winding trail of the vehicle, officers observed that Hartsfield had driven through three wooden fences on the property — unleashing three horses as he crashed through — before becoming stuck on an embankment.
Hartsfield, who police say appeared to be “intoxicated and belligerent,” was taken into custody.
As he was being searched by police, money fell from Hartsfield’s pocket, police said.
“He stepped on the money and was rubbing it with his foot,” Reardon said. “When the money was retrieved by officers it was found to contain a small quantity of suspected cocaine.”
“In the money was a small yellow baggie with a yellowish substance inside,” Johnson said. “When it was tested, it was cocaine.”
The nine other charges against Hartsfield were dropped after agreeing with the commonwealth to plead guilty to the three felony counts.
Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.
