Police Chase suspect gets 15 years in jail

by MATT HUGHES

J-E News Editor

Tommy R. Branson, 61 of Sebree, appeared before Webster County Circuit on Thursday, July 3, 2014 to face charges from an incident that took place on Tuesday, February 25, 2014. At that time he entered a guilty plea on all charges, reversing the plea he had entered before the Grand Jury.

He was charged with four counts of Attempted Murder, a class B felony; Attempted Murder of a Police Officer, a class B felony; 2nd Degree Assault of a Police Officer, a class C felony; 1st Degree Wanton Endangerment of a Police Officer, a class D felony; Tampering with Physical Evidence, a class D felony; and 1st Degree Fleeing or Evading Police, a class D felony.

Judge Rene Williams sentenced Branson to a maximum of 15 years for each Attempted Murder charge, ten years for 2nd Degree Assault  of a Police Officer, five years for 1st Degree Wanton Endangerment of a Police Officer, five years for Tampering with Evidence and five years for Fleeing or Evading, all to run concurrently for a total of fifteen years in prison.

At approximately 6:10 p.m. on Tuesday February 25, 2014, Kentucky State Police Post 2 received a call for assistance from the Webster County Sheriff’s Department and the Clay Police Department for a complaint that shots were fired into a residence in Clay, KY.

Upon the arrival of law enforcement, the perpetrator returned to the residence, striking Deputy Scott Starkey with his vehicle and firing additional shots into the residence. At this time, officers discharged their firearms at the perpetrator, striking his vehicle.

The suspect then fled the scene, leading State Troopers and Clay Police Chief Chris Evitts on a chase along highway 132 with speeds reaching 80 to 100 mph. According to Sheriff Springfield at some point during the chase one of the tires on the car had gone flat, but that did not slow the suspect.

Sheriff Springfield and Deputy Mitch Townsend, who had been monitoring the chase by radio used their cruisers to block the road near Dixon. When the chase reached their position the suspect had no other choice but to stop.

“He tossed his weapon during the chase, otherwise things could have gone very differently,” Springfield said.

According to Springfield the suspect, Branson, sat in his vehicle for several minutes before obeying law enforcement instructions to exit his vehicle, at which time he was taken into custody.