Suspect arrested after high-speed pursuit, foot chase

A county-wide man hunt ended peacefully Sunday afternoon and led to the arrest of James, Easterly, 44, of Crossville, Tenn.

According to Albany Police Chief Ernest Guffey, Easterly had been passing through Albany and could have been dropped off by another person.

Unknown as to whether or not it is directly related, at about that same time, a report came in of an attempted auto theft that had occurred at Save-A-Lot, but was unsuccessful.

“Someone tried to steal a vehicle at Save-A-Lot, but I don’t know whether it was him or not,” Guffey said.

Shortly afterward, the suspect allegedly found a vehicle on Donnie Ferguson St. a City of Albany owned utility truck.

The truck, a 2002 Chevrolet, was soon spotted by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife officer Wayne Glover around 2 p.m. Sunday. Guffey said the suspect found some spray paint in the tool box and used it to cover the City of Albany logo on both sides of the vehicle.

“He took the truck around 10:30 or 11 a.m.,” Guffey said. “He tore it all to pieces.”

According to a press release issued by the Albany Police Department, Glover saw the stolen vehicle in the vicinity of the high school and called it in to the local 911 dispatch center and began a pursuit.

The Clinton County Sheriff’s Department joined in the pursuit of the fleeing vehicle and the suspect led officers on nearly an hour long chase that ended with a foot pursuit near the Teal Neathery Rd. close to Grider Hill Dock.

During the foot chase, Albany Police Officer Ricky Marcum came into contact with Easterly on a rock ledge near Lake Cumberland and held him at gunpoint until Deputy Jim Guffey and Glover handcuffed the suspect.

Easterly was arrested and charged with criminal mischief in the first degree, fleeing or evading police in the first degree in a motor vehicle, fleeing or evading police in the first degree on foot, theft by unlawful taking, operating a motor vehicle without a license and reckless driving.

He is lodged in the Clinton County Jail and Chief Guffey said more charges are pending.

The truck sustained considerable damage during the chase, but an exact dollar amount of the damage wasn’t available at presstime.

Albany Police Chief Ernest Guffey surveys the damage that was caused when this City of Albany owned utility truck was stolen Sunday. Spray paint was used to cover the city logos on the truck doors.