W’burg man arrested for fleeing police in a vehicle, on foot

A local man is facing fleeing or evading charges after both a vehicle pursuit and a foot pursuit with police early Friday morning near Williamsburg.

The incident happened about 1:30 a.m. Friday when Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Hensley was patrolling the Savoy area, and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a red Chevrolet Camaro, according to a sheriff’s department release.

The vehicle was observed allegedly leaving a known drug dealer’s residence, and police initially believed there was a different person driving, who had felony warrants for his arrest, according to an arrest citation.

When Hensley activated his blue lights in an attempt to stop the vehicle, the car sped up. The pursuit turned onto a gravel road, which connects Savoy Road and R.D. Rains Road, and reached speeds of approximately 50 mph, according to a sheriff’s department release.

“The pursuit came to a sliding stop with one male exiting from the passenger door,” the release stated.

The vehicle stopped on the railroad tracks and the driver climbed across the passenger seat, and stepped in it leaving a footprint before he jumped out the vehicle, Hensley wrote on an arrest citation.

There were no other signs of anyone else in the vehicle.

After a short foot pursuit Hensley apprehended Samuel S. McFarland, 26, of Williamsburg, without further incident, according to the release.

Williamsburg Police Officer Elijah Hunter and his K9 partner assisted in the investigation, with the K9 alerting to the possible presence of drugs in the vehicle, according to the release.

Police found a bag containing what’s believed to be crystal methamphetamine, a glass pipe, and a pill believed to be hydrocodone that was located behind the driver’s seat. McFarland allegedly showed signs of intoxication, the release stated.

Hensley charged McFarland with two counts of first-degree possession of a controlled substance, first-degree fleeing or evading police (vehicle), second-degree fleeing or evading police (on foot), reckless driving, first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer, possession of drug paraphernalia and operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol/drugs.

McFarland was lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.

Whitley County EMS responded to the jail and drew blood, which will be sent for toxicology testing at the Kentucky State Police Crime Lab along with the suspected meth and the pill.

McFarland pled not guilty during his arraignment Monday afternoon in Whitley District Court.

Judge Fred White agreed to lower his bond from $10,000 cash to a $10,000 property bond, and scheduled a May 14 preliminary hearing in his case.

McFarland was released from the detention center on bond about 3:30 p.m. Monday.