The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A 19-year-old man was placed under arrest for allegedly driving under the influence on Friday after he forced police to chase him for over a mile.
On February 16 at nearly 3:30 a.m. Martin County law enforcement received a call from a citizen who reported that someone was parked in the lot of the Martin County Freewill Baptist Church with their car stereo playing at a disturbingly loud level.
Constables dispatched to the scene to investigate the complaint and they spotted a young man sitting in his vehicle. When they approached him officers believed that he appeared nervous and they returned to their car to run a check on his license plate number.
When the constables stepped away to call in the plate the accused allegedly turned the key in the ignition of his vehicle, and he drove in the direction of Martin County Constable Brad Preece.
The man, who was identified as Tomahawk resident Kody Harless, then exited the church parking lot and reportedly forced the police to chase him for close to a mile and a half. When Harless arrived at the residence of his dad’s girlfriend he ran inside the home through the back door.
When Harless decided to come back outside he was asked to submit to a field sobriety test which led officers to determine that he was under the influence of alcohol. Constable Preece took him into custody with the assistance of the Martin County Sheriff and seven deputies.
Harless was booked into the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center and is facing charges for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, failure to register transfer of a motor vehicle, failure to wear a seatbelt, and first degree fleeing or evading police.
If you or someone you love is suspected of DUI, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.