The area where the vehicle involved in the pursuit crashed
Early Saturday morning, (August 13) Coffee County Deputy Cody Lendley heard on his police radio that Manchester Police responded to a theft of property that had occurred at the Kangaroo Store on Interstate Drive. A Manchester patrolman began following the vehicle on Highway 55 and then it turned onto Interstate 24 going eastbound at mile-marker 111.
A few moments later Lendley turned onto I-24 and spotted the vehicle merging with traffic. The deputy’s report says the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed. Lendley said in his report that he caught up to the vehicle at mile-marker 117 where he got up beside the vehicle to get the license plate.
The report goes onto to say that after giving the plate number to the Coffee County Communication Center, the driver of the vehicle slammed on his breaks, trying to wreck the deputy. As Lendley attempted to stop the vehicle it continued traveling at a high rate of speed.
Moments later Lendley received information from the communication center that the vehicle was stolen from Miami, Florida. Sergeant Dwayne Mullins along with Deputy Keith Raney joined in the pursuit as it entered Grundy County.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol was notified as well as Marion County officials. Several attempts were made to spike the vehicle’s tires, however all failed. The vehicle attempted to exit at the rest area at mile-marker 160 and hit a barrier causing the vehicle to crash.
Upon making contact with the subjects they were removed from the vehicle by Marion County deputies and taken into custody shortly after. Marion County EMS responded and checked the subjects with all three males being transported to Parkridge West Hospital in Jasper. The three males were released a few hours later from the hospital and transported to the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department.
Rick Thangngo age 20 of Miami, FL as well as Kendel Isiah Saunders age 18 of Chicago, IL were charged with Evading Arrest, Theft of Property, and Reckless Endangerment with their court date set for August 29, 2016. A juvenile was also charged.
