Two remained jailed after police pursuit

A Williamsburg man remains in jail in lieu of a $25,000 cash bond after allegedly leading police on a vehicle pursuit in a stolen car last week that he allegedly drove onto a sidewalk where he nearly hit a pedestrian, according to police.

“This was the wildest vehicle pursuit I’ve been in since I started working in law enforcement,” said Third-District Constable Dorman Patrick Jr. “I’m very thankful that nobody was hurt.”

On April 26, Patrick charged Michael D. Rogers, 35, with three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, one count of first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer, first-degree fleeing or evading police, failure to wear seatbelts, receiving stolen property under $10,000, reckless driving, no operator’s license, possession of drug paraphernalia.

The pursuit started about 4:50 p.m. when Patrick observed the driver of the 2002 gray Ford Focus not wearing his seatbelt in the parking lot of the Stop and Save gas station at 443 US25W, according to a press release from Patrick.

Patrick attempted to conduct a traffic stop in the parking lot, but the vehicle refused to stop and took off at a high rate of speed traveling south on US25W, according to the release and arrest citations.

At the intersection of Campbell Hill Road and US25W, Rogers allegedly drove onto the sidewalk where he nearly hit a walking pedestrian, the release noted.

“At that same intersection the vehicle collided with a vehicle traveling south on US25W, then continued to flee at speeds in excess of 70 miles per hour, driving on the wrong side of the road, completely reckless with no regard to other motorist on the road,” Patrick wrote in the release.

The pursuit continued on US25W where Rogers allegedly almost hit another vehicle head on near the BP gas station, according to the release.

Rogers then left the roadway and hit a concrete curb nearly completely disabling his vehicle and flattening both front tires. Rogers then got back onto US25W and drove into the parking lot of the Care Plus Medical Center by the Williamsburg Vendor’s Mall where both occupants surrendered, according to the release.

When police searched the vehicle, they located a hypodermic needle by the driver’s seat.

“The driver reported he had been ingesting methamphetamine all day along with other drugs,” Patrick wrote in the release.

Rogers’s passenger, Laura Beth McBrayer, 31, of Corbin, was charged with receiving stolen property under $10,000, possession of drug paraphernalia and tampering with physical evidence.

When the vehicle came to a stop, McBrayer allegedly threw a needle out the window, according to her arrest citation.

A registration check of the vehicle indicated that it had been reported stolen to the Richmond Police Department, according to arrest citations.

Both Rogers and McBrayer have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Each waived their right to a preliminary hearing Monday morning, and Whitley District Judge Fred White ordered their cases bound over to the Whitley County Grand Jury for consideration.

Rogers remains incarcerated in the Whitley County Detention Center. He has been ordered to wear an ankle-monitoring device and not to drive if he posts bond.

McBrayer remains in jail in lieu of posting a $7,500 cash bond.

No one was injured during the pursuit.

Williamsburg Police Capt. Eddie Cain, Lt. Jim Pool, Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy James Tabor and Whitley County Police Chief Jason Wilson assisted with the investigation.