Published: December 03, 2009 12:47 pm      

Teen crashes into rock wall after police pursuit

Dec. 2, 2009 — A Carter County teen is in critical condition after leading the Morehead Police Department on a high-speed chase early Sunday morning.

According to police, the juvenile was driving a white 2001 Ford Taurus on U.S. 60 before turning on to KY 519 and was exhibiting signs of driving under the influence at 1:03 a.m.

The MPD officer turned on his emergency lights and attempted to stop the vehicle but the vehicle allegedly failed to stop. Police say the car then accelerated, reaching speeds of approximately 100 mph over the course of the pursuit.

According to police, when the vehicle approached the Clack Mountain area, the driver exhibited more severe signs of reckless driving as it passed a vehicle on the wrong side of the road. The MPD officer then backed off in the pursuit, police say, due to the erratic passing and driving.

The driver then lost control of the vehicle, leaving the roadway, flipping several times and striking a rock face wall. The vehicle then came to a stop on the roadway with the teen seat belted in the vehicle with obvious head trauma, according to police. PHI was alerted and flew the teen to the University of Kentucky Medical Center where she is in critical condition, according to police.

The initial investigation from police say the girl didn’t have a driver’s license and was a runaway from Olive Hill. The investigation is ongoing by Kentucky State Police Trooper David Zimmerman.