May 2, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
A McMinnville man who led a county deputy on a high-speed pursuit early Sunday morning before crashing his car on Jacobs Pillar Road remains in the hospital and is facing several charges when he gets out.
28-year-old Chase Fults was airlifted after the 2:30 a.m. crash Sunday morning and at last report was in Vanderbilt hospital with serious injuries.
According to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, a deputy spotted Fults’ 2008 Audi on Highway 70 east (Sparta Highway) near the location of the former Dots Sport Print and noticed it failing to maintain its lane of travel. He got behind the vehicle and tried to pull it over near Terrell Road, but the car accelerated. A high-speed pursuit ensued for several miles into Smithville and onto Short Mountain Highway and then to Jacobs Pillar Road before the car crashed.
Trooper Bobby Johnson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, who assisted Trooper Dylan Palmer in the wreck investigation said Fults failed to negotiate a curve on Jacobs Pillar Road and went off the left side of the road and through a fence before hitting a large tree. Fults was ejected from the car. He was treated by DeKalb EMS and taken to a helicopter landing zone nearby where he was airlifted to Vanderbilt Hospital.
Both the Sheriff’s Department and THP have charges pending against Fults including evading arrest, reckless endangerment, failing to maintain lane of travel, excessive speed, and possibly DUI.
Meanwhile, the THP investigated two other crashes Monday.
Trooper Bobby Johnson said a head-on wreck at Bright Hill Road involved two drivers, neither of whom was believed to have been seriously hurt.
He said 67-year-old Ronald Taylor of Smithville was traveling west in a 2011 Toyota Tundra when he veered into the eastbound lane as 80-year-old Frances Storie was approaching driving a 2011 Kia Soul. As Taylor tried to get back into his lane, Storie swerved to avoid the collision as well and both hit head on. Storie was taken by DeKalb EMS to the hospital.
Meanwhile three people were involved in a crash on South Congress Boulevard Monday afternoon. No one was injured.
Trooper Johnson said 61-year-old Steven France of Smithville, operating a 2004 GMC Sierra pickup truck was stopped by a flagger in the construction zone. The car behind France, a 1997 Pontiac Grand AM, driven by 53-year-old Blanca Alvarez was also stopped. Behind Alvarez was a 2000 Chevy Silverado, driven by Bradley (Buck) Luna of Smithville who failed to stop. Luna’s truck rear-ended the Alvarez car forcing it into France’s truck.
Luna was cited for driving on a suspended license, failure to exercise due care, expired registration, and no insurance. Alvarez was cited for no driver license and no insurance.