An Attempted Traffic Stop Leads to a Pursuit Ending in a Crash
By Roberta Cantrell
BSN Editor
Two Johnson County men were arrested when he vehicle they were in crashed after a police pursuit on Sunday, Aug. 2.
An arrest citation on the men by Kentucky State Police Trooper Jonathan Rouse stated that at approximately 10 a.m., KSP Sgt. Ryan Hamilton observed a red 1993 Chevrolet Silverado traveling south on U.S. 23 in Paintsville.
The vehicle had no visible registration plate and excessive window tint, Rouse wrote in the citation, and the occupants appeared to be unrestrained. A records check revealed that the vehicle’s registration had been canceled and that it was not insured, the citation said.
“When Sgt. Hamilton attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the driver immediately fled,” the citation said, adding that Rouse and Trooper Steve Hammond joined in the pursuit, which continued south on U.S. 23 and west onto Ky. 825.
“During the pursuit, the driver disregarded stop signs and failed to use a turn signal when exiting the roadway,” the citation said. “The pursuit ended near the Ky. 825/U.S. 460 junction after law enforcement performed a Precision Immobilization Technique maneuver, disabling the vehicle.”
The driver identified as Christopher Jordan Mollette, 38, of Tomahawk, was taken into custody, the citation said, as was his passenger, William Joe Cantrell, 41, of Flat Gap.
“Following the pursuit, officers located approximately 60-65 feet of AT&T fiber-optic cable in the bed of the truck,” Hammond wrote in Cantrell’s arrest citation. “Troopers also recovered burglary tools, including a pair of large cable cutters and a pole saw, which are believed to have been used to cut the fiber-optic cable.”
Hammond also wrote that Cantrell “admitted to throwing several items out of the vehicle’s passenger side window while the vehicle was fleeing from the initial traffic stop.”
Rouse wrote that while speaking with Mollette, his eyes were glassy and “he displayed noticeable body swaying,” prompting the trooper to perform several tests on him.
“Based on Mollette’s reckless driving physical indicators, and performance during the evaluations, I believed that he was impaired by drugs,” Rouse stated.
Rouse also wrote that Hamilton’s assigned police cruiser sustained damage to the front passenger side during the PIT maneuver.
The road remained closed for four hours allowing KSP to follow protocol for reconstruction.
Mollette was arrested and charged with 1st degree fleeing or evading police (motor vehicle), DUI (aggravating circumstances) 2nd offense, receiving stolen property $500<1,000, possession of burglary tools, 1st degree criminal mischief and several traffic violations as well.
Cantrell was arrested and charged with receiving stolen property ($500 < $1,000), possession of burglary tools and criminal littering. Both were lodged in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center.