Kentucky man drove car into a lake when confronted by law enforcement, officials say
A Nelson County man attempted to avoid sheriff’s deputies Tuesday by driving his car into Willisburg Lake, according to the Washington County sheriff’s office.
Deputies said they were called to a boat dock at the lake in Springfield for a report of someone doing donuts in a Ford passenger car. The driver was trying to leave the area when deputies showed up, but he threw his car in reverse and backed it into the lake after he saw the authorities, according to arrest records.
The driver was later identified as 57-year-old Larry Marks, who threw “several items from his vehicle into the water” while a deputy tried to get him to get out of the sinking car.
The owner of the marina worked with sheriff’s deputies and the Washington County rescue team to try to get Marks and his car out of the water before the car was fully submerged. The car eventually wound up totally underwater, but Marks swam to the surface shortly after.
Marks was checked out by Washington County Emergency Medical Services, according to arrest records. He wasn’t injured in the incident.
Marks told deputies he wasn’t trying to hurt himself but was instead trying to get away from people who were trying to kill him, according to arrest records. He also admitted to being under the influence of drugs at the time.
Deputies wrote in an arrest citation that Marks had threatened to drive his car into the lake before officials were called to the scene. Authorities called in a dive team to get the fully-submerged car out of the water, according to the sheriff’s office.
Marks was charged with five counts of wanton endangerment, including two counts of wanton endangerment of a police officer, according to court records. He was also charged with fleeing police in a car, evidence tampering and public intoxication.