First arrest made in connection with Friday pursuit of stolen vehicle

A car chase involving a stolen vehicle early Friday morning, which ended near Hightop Road, resulted in an arrest Sunday night of a Corbin woman. Whitley County Sheriff Todd Shelley said this is the first of several arrests that are expected to be made in connection with the case.

Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy Chad Estep, who was one of nine officers involved in the pursuit, arrested Felicity Rose, 22, of Corbin, on charges of first-degree fleeing or evading police – motor vehicle, and first-degree fleeing or evading police – on foot.

Rose was taken into custody at her residence on Barton Mill Cutoff.

The white Ford Mustang had been entered by Corbin Police as stolen earlier last week.

It had reportedly been stolen from the Red Roof Inn in Corbin.

At approximately 1:30 a.m., Estep, who was working the area near Barton Mill Cutoff with Lt. Dennis Foley, Sgt. Jonas Saunders, and Deputy Chad Foley, located the Mustang and initiated the pursuit.

Corbin Police Officers Jeff Hill and Kenneth Proffitt, along with Williamsburg Police Officer Elijah Hunter with K-9 Vicco, joined in the pursuit.

The pursuit continued onto Oak Ridge Church Road, Fifth Street, Black Diamond Road and Hightop, before ending when the vehicle crashed near a house on Davis Road.

According to the arrest citation, the driver, later identified as Rose, fled into the woods and jumped off of a 25–foot cliff before fleeing into deep brush.

“(Rose) called for a ride off of Black Diamond,” Estep stated.

“Deputies nearly fell off a cliff while chasing (Rose),” Estep added.

Shelley stated the investigation is continuing and additional arrests will be made in the case.