Central Ky. man flees police on a tractor, chase ends on a golf course
A man from Berea is facing several charges after he led police on a chase into a golf course while driving a tractor, according to court documents.
At around 4:40 p.m. Wednesday police became aware of a man getting fuel in a blue tractor on Prospect Street. The man, 34-year-old Jared Wehrle, was confronted by police at a nearby residential intersection and nearly ran over a police officer with the tractor’s back tire, according to court documents.
Wehrle ignored a police officer’s request to stop after fleeing and a pursuit ensued, according to court documents. Wehrle ran a stop sign, drove through backyards at an apartment complex and crossed over a walking path multiple times during the chase, according to court documents.
The pursuit ended at Berea Golf Club when Wehrle drove his tractor into a ditch, according to court records. Court documents say Wehrle then took off on foot towards someone on course but was stopped with a taser.
Derek Hicks captured part of the chase on the golf course and posted it on Facebook (Note: the video contains language some might find vulgar).
In the video, you can see police attempting to stop the tractor as it gets onto the golf course.
“Who tries to flee police on a tractor?” Hicks asked in his Facebook post.
Damage to the golf course and nearby fields was valued at over $1,000, according to court documents. Wehrle drove several yards on the golf course before crashing in the ditch.
A small bag of marijuana was found on Wehrle’s possession during his arrest, court documents said.
Wehrle is being held at the Madison County Detention Center on a $5,000 bond, according to court records. He faces charges of wanton endangerment, fleeing or evading police, criminal mischief, possession of marijuana, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and disregarding a stop sign.
This story was originally published July 14, 2022 at 1:10 PM.
