Putnam sheriffs' cruisers wrecked during pursuit

DAILY MAIL PUTNAM REPORTER

Putnam County sheriff deputies temporarily will be short twopatrol cars after they were damaged in a police chase that requireddogs, a roadblock and a State Police helicopter, Chief Deputy JohnDailey said.

Martin D. Fitzpatrick, 43, of Huntington has been charged with twocounts of leaving the scene of an accident, fleeing the police in avehicle, fleeing without a vehicle and two counts of assault on apolice officer for leading police on a chase early Tuesday morning,Dailey said. Fitzpatrick is now free on a $25,000 bond.

A deputy responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle at theScary Creek Industrial Park. When he arrived at the scene, the cardrove in reverse away from the police cruiser. As the deputy pulledforward to follow the car, the suspect threw the car into gear andslammed into the cruiser, Dailey said.

The cruiser was damaged but drivable so the deputy started topursue the fleeing car. Other cruisers joined the chase as the carswound along Bluelick Road where deputies set up a roadblock, Daileysaid.

When the suspect saw the roadblock, he did a U-turn in the middleof the road and slammed his vehicle into one of the pursuing cars,Dailey said.

The chase continued back along Bluelick Road until the suspectturned up a dirt road, Dailey said. The police cruisers got stuckentering the road so the deputies continued the chase on foot withpolice dogs.

Deputies discovered the suspect's car abandoned farther up theroad where he apparently got out and fled on foot, Dailey said. Toassist the manhunt in the dark, deputies called in a State Policehelicopter.

Deputies ended up tracking the suspect to the residence of anacquaintance where he was arrested, Dailey said. He said sheriff'sdeputies are uncertain why the suspect fled when he initially wasapproached by officers, but they are continuing to investigate.

The chase caused $5,000 in combined damage to the two cars, Daileysaid. He expects that the cruisers will be out of commission for thenext two days.

Dailey said the suspect has car insurance so the sheriff'sdepartment should not have to absorb the cost of repairs.

The officers were not injured in the accident, Dailey said.

Writer Mike Connolly can be reached at 348-4806 or by e-mail atmikeconnolly@dailymail.com.