A 36-year-old Owensboro man was arrested Saturday night and faces numerous charges including trafficking meth after attempting to flee law enforcement, according to the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office.
Virgil Stewart faces the following charges for the incident: fleeing/evading police, first degree (motor vehicle); fleeing/evading police, first degree (on foot); wanton endangerment, first degree (police officer); reckless driving; trafficking in a controlled substance, first degree (> or = 2 grams methamphetamine); DUI (first offense); drug paraphernalia; three active failure to appear warrants; and one parole warrant.
According to reports, just before midnight a DCSO deputy observed a vehicle traveling northbound in the 7500 block of US 431. The deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop due to suspicion of a DUI operator.
The driver failed to stop and a pursuit was initiated, according to DCSO. Deputies pursued the vehicle to KY 144 where Kentucky State Police began assisting DCSO. A KSP trooper blocked the suspect’s lane of travel and the suspect was forced to stop. According to reports, the suspect began reversing his vehicle at a high rate of speed, almost striking a DCSO deputy. The suspect then turned down a dead-end alley and was forced to stop.
The suspect then began fleeing from the vehicle on foot, according to DCSO. KSP and DCSO were able to quickly catch and arrest the suspect, identified as Stewart.
A search incident to arrest produced suspected methamphetamine expected to weigh more than 2 grams as well as suspected drug paraphernalia items, according to reports.
Stewart was lodged in the Daviess County Detention Center.
