Published: June 23, 2009 09:21 am      

Tractor Supply thief nabbed in Whitley Co.

By Carl Keith Greene / Staff Writer

A Manchester man who reportedly stole power tools from London’s Tractor Supply store on KY 192 late Friday morning was arrested on I-75 about halfway between Corbin and Williamsburg.

Police report that about 11:30 a.m., London police Sgt. K.R. Jones was notified of the possible theft and saw the described vehicle leaving the parking lot of Tractor Supply and heading east on KY 192.

Jones was able to follow the vehicle to KY 363 where it turned right in a southern direction.

It immediately turned into the Presbyterian Church parking lot on the east side of the road.

Jones was unable to stop the vehicle there and it proceeded to KY 192 heading east again.

The chase continued eastward to U.S. 25, where it turned south.

Because of heavy midday traffic, Jones lost visual contact with the vehicle near South Laurel High School.

A few minutes later, Laurel deputies Joey Vicini and William Harris spotted the fleeing Manchester man at Hunter Hills Elementary School. When the driver would not stop, they gave chase.

The chase continued to U.S. 25E where the vehicle turned westward to I-75 at speeds upwards of 90 miles per hour.

As the chase proceeded south on I-75, officers from the Kentucky Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, Kentucky State Police, and Williamsburg and Corbin police joined in.

At about the 20-mile marker, the vehicle came to a stop and Earl Scott Stevens, 36, was taken into custody by Vicini and Harris.

The sheriff’s office charged Stevens with driving under the influence and fleeing and evading police.

Jones charged him with theft by unlawful taking over $300, first-degree fleeing and evading police and first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer.

Arraignment has not been set.