Woman runs from police, tries to hide in Williamsburg home

A Williamsburg woman is being held in the Whitley County Detention Center on a $15,000 cash bond after running from police with her hands cuffed behind her back Thursday afternoon, and allegedly entering a Fourth Street home that she was ordered out of at knife point.

Williamsburg Public Affairs Officer Shawn Jackson charged Tabatha S. Gray, 18, of 600 Brush Arbor, with second-degree burglary, second-degree fleeing or evading police, public intoxication, second-degree disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and third-degree escape.

The incident began shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday after police were asked to respond to the Court Designated Worker’s (CDW) office.

Chief Wayne Bird arrested Gray’s 16-year-old boyfriend on a pick-up order, and the CDW’s office, which deals with under age offenders, had made arrangements for Gray visit him and say goodbye, Jackson said.

CDW officials noticed that Gray appeared to be under the influence and contacted police, and her boyfriend told police about a "long list of stuff that they had been doing," Jackson said.

She failed field sobriety tests, and was placed under arrest with her hands cuffed behind her back.

"She actually had an open case with social services from a past incident last week. They had mentioned that a social worker was wanting to come down there, and she got spooked," Jackson said.

Jackson said that when he stepped into another office briefly, Gray bolted out the back door damaging it.

K-9 Officer Brandon Prewitt soon arrived with his K-9 partner, Rico, and started tracking Gray, who was apprehended about 10 minutes later only about 300 yards from the CDW office.

In the meantime, Jackson said Gray had managed to wiggle one wrist out of the handcuffs, which were still dangling from the other wrist.

She allegedly entered a home at 215 N. Fourth Street, shut the door behind her, and asked the home’s resident to use his phone, Jackson said.

"The victim felt endangered because he saw one handcuff dangling off of her arm. He basically told her to get out of his house," Jackson said. "At that point, he actually pulled out a small pocketknife to use if needed to defend himself and his home. This is when she exited his house, went back downstairs and started fleeing again."

The homeowner called 911, and Prewitt apprehended her on Third Street where she was arrested without further incident.
"K-9 Officer Brandon Prewitt and Rico did a fabulous job by locating this female," Jackson noted.

Assistant Chief Rick Mosley, Sgt. Mike Taylor, Officer Jason Strunk, Whitley County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Tim Shelley,

Kentucky State Police Trooper Les Moses and Detective K.Y. Fuson also assisted with the investigation.