BCSO reports state that on Monday afternoon, 3/23, a BCSO deputy was traveling South Cannon Boulevard when he observed a silver Nissan Altima leaving the Magnolia Motel. As he passed the vehicle, he noticed the female passenger leaned back in her seat and the driver hid his face.
The driver went inbound to Shelbyville from South Cannon Boulevard to West Holland Street. The officer continued to follow and activated a stop. The vehicle continued to drive slowly around the square onto South Main Street toward South Brittain Street.
The officer reports that it was clear the driver was attempting to evade law enforcement. As the vehicle turned onto Highway 82 South, the officer reports that he was able to get the license plate number. The driver continued a speed of 55 mph at this point. The BCSO officer terminated his pursuit at Lake Elaine Road but notified dispatch to alert Moore County Sheriff's Office. MCSO pursued into Coffee County, which is when multiple units joined the chase.
(See Thursday's print edition for column about how T-G reporter was in traffic at the time of the pursuit.)
The pursuit finally went back into Bedford County and into the Wartrace City limits. Coffee County Sheriff Chad Partin conducted a PIT maneuver which the reports states successfully ended the pursuit.
Coffee and Moore deputies took the driver and passenger into custody. The BC officer identified. The driver was Steven Stith, who was charged with trafffic control device violation (running red light), speeding and evading arrest by a motor vehicle, possession of schedule I (simple) and possession of drug paraphernelia. The golden ticket to the arrest was that the driver had an active arrest warrant for violation of probation in Rutherford County. The passenger was identified as Melissa Odea, who was charged with simple possession. She refused any medical attention. The driver had complained and was transferred to Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital. After medical attention, he was taken and booked into Bedford County Jail.
Tennessee Highway Patrol also investigated this incident.
