Corbin man arrested for wild pursuit with police on Sept. 6

Jonathan Coffey

For the foreseeable future, police won’t have to look too hard for a Corbin man, who allegedly eluded a Whitley County Sheriff’s deputy during a vehicle pursuit earlier this month. The suspect is now incarcerated in the Whitley County Detention Center in lieu of a $50,000 cash bond.

During his arraignment Monday afternoon in Whitley District Court, Jonathan David Coffey, 45, pled not guilty to numerous charges including: first-degree fleeing or evading police, two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, reckless driving, speeding in a school zone, improper passing, driving too fast for traffic conditions, speeding 26 mph or great over limit and kidnapping-adult.

District Judge Fred White appointed the public advocate’s office to represent Coffey and scheduled a Sept. 28 preliminary hearing in his case.

On Sept. 6, about 3:05 p.m. Deputy James Fox observed a Silver SUV at the junction of Fifth Street and Black Diamond Road that appeared to have a female subject jumping out of it, according to a sheriff’s department press release.

Fox pursued the vehicle and the male driver stopped but once Deputy Fox began to exit his vehicle the driver took off in an attempt to elude the deputy.

Fox pursued the SUV onto Hightop Road where he was held up by oncoming traffic. The male driver continued to drive in a reckless manner, heading into traffic and running multiple cars off of the roadway, according to the release.

The driver of the SUV then hid the car in a wooded area behind his aunt’s home and took off on foot. After a search of the area did not turn up the suspect, Deputy Fox obtained a warrant for the man, who police identified as Coffey, the release stated.
The female, who jumped from the SUV, refused treatment from EMS and was taken to a near by home by the Corbin Police Department. The female was identified to be Coffey’s wife.

Fox was assisted at the scene by Deputy Kirk Mays, Deputy David Rowe, Deputy Jonas Saunders, K-9 Trooper Jason McCowan and his K-9, other KSP Troopers from Post 11 and a Fish and Wildlife officer.

About 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 20, Coffey was served with the warrant for the related charges and lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.