W’burg officer shoots out vehicle tires during chase

A Knoxville murder suspect led Williamsburg police on a high-speed chase Sunday afternoon before allegedly trying to run over an officer and giving authorities the slip.
Williamsburg Police Officer Tresa Gray said police are still looking for Delana Ann Larue, 33, who is wanted out of Knoxville in connection to a murder case.
Gray said she knows the murder case is still under investigation by members of the Knox County Sheriff’s Department, but she isn’t aware of further details.
Gray said she was on patrol about 12:30 p.m. Sunday, when she received a report about someone driving off without paying for $53 worth of gas in Jellico.
Dispatchers informed her that the vehicle, a 1988 black Ford Ranger, was heading north on I-75, and Gray got behind the vehicle near the 11 mile marker.
Gray said she ran the vehicles tags, turned on her blue lights and siren, and pulled the vehicle over near the 12.5 mile marker.
“When I exited my car, and shut the door to approach the vehicle, she pulled out,” Gray said. “I got back in the cruiser, and got in pursuit of her going about 95 mph.”
The truck left I-75 at Exit 15 going about 75 to 80 miles per hour, and turned left onto US25W getting into the northbound lane.
“About one mile down US25W there were two vehicles in front of us slowing down trying to get out of the way,” Gray said. “She didn’t know which way to go, so she got in the grass. I came up beside her, and we made contact. My cruiser went up on two wheels over the hood, and came back down. When I got out of the vehicle she tried to hit me and run over me with her truck.”
Two passengers in the vehicle, a man and a woman, jumped out of the truck.
“Two of them jumped out. I was screaming at them to get out,” Gray said. “She tried to run over me, and shots were fired. I shot two of her tires, but she got away.”
Gray said she stayed at the scene, and placed the other suspects in custody, but that Larue got away.
Police later learned that the two passengers were a couple of hitchhikers, who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Authorities found Larue’s vehicle about half a mile down the road with two flat tires.
Gray said Larue apparently fled into the woods. Police don’t know where she went, but don’t believe she is still in the area.
She was reportedly heading north toward Ohio, Gray said.
Given the circumstances, Gray said she feels lucky to have gotten out of the situation without getting killed or seriously injured.
“She did state to the two people, who jumped out of the vehicle, that she didn’t have anything to lose. I just hated that I didn’t actually catch her and detain her,” Gray noted.
Gray said she plans to present charges against Larue to the Whitley County Grand Jury next month.
Her cruiser sustained moderate to severe damage during the chase.