Woodbine man charged with assault following high-speed chase

Glennis Kody Nantz

A Woodbine man, who allegedly abandoned two injured passengers after he fled the scene where he flipped his car Saturday night, is facing two counts of second-degree assault.

Whitley County Constable Dorman Patrick, Jr. charged 21-year-old Glennis Kody Nantz in connection with the high-speed chase and subsequent wreck on Buck Creek Road.

“He didn’t have anything to say at all about the incident,” Patrick said of Nantz. “He denied he was the one driving.”

Patrick said the situation began about 8:30 p.m. in southern Whitley County when he came upon a black Honda with a brake light out.

Patrick said when he activated his lights in an effort to stop the vehicle, the driver accelerated in an attempt to elude him.

“The vehicle was observed travelling at speeds over 60 mph, driving on the wrong side of the road with continuous reckless behavior,” Patrick stated, adding that he lost sight of the car after two or three miles.

However, as Patrick continued on Buck Creek Road, he came upon a crash scene where the vehicle had left the roadway, travelled through a wooded area and overturned.

Patrick said the driver, later identified as Nantz had fled the scene, leaving two passengers at the scene.

The female passenger, whom Patrick identified as Alicia Ooten, was trapped inside the car and had to be extricated by firefighters.

The other passenger, identified as Jacob Burnette, was out of the vehicle.

Patrick said Ooten and Burnette were taken by ambulance to Baptist Health Corbin and later flown to the University of Kentucky Medical Center.

Patrick said both are listed in stable condition.

Several hours later, Patrick said a nearby resident contacted Whitley County E911 to report that an unknown male was knocking on doors and that person was believed to be the driver of the vehicle.

Kentucky State Police responded and located the individual, later identified as Nantz and took him into custody.

Nantz was charged with first-degree fleeing or evading police in a motor vehicle, two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, two counts of second-degree assault, reckless driving, speeding – 25 mph or greater over the limit, failure to appear, driving on a suspended or revoked operator’s license and leaving the scene of an accident/failure to render aid.

Nantz is being held in the Whitley County Detention Center on a $50,000 cash bond.

Patrick said a small amount of suspected methamphetamine was found inside the car.

“It is not clear who the owner is,” Patrick said, noting he will be presenting the case to a Whitley County grand jury.

Williamsburg Police K-9 Officer Elijah Hunter, KSP Trooper Matt Ridner, Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputies Jonas Saunders and Derek Eubanks, Emlyn Fire Department, Pleasant View Fire Department and South Whitley Fire Department all assisted at the scene.