GREENBRIER, Tenn. (WKRN) -- A convicted felon reportedly lost control of his vehicle and collided with an electrical pole while leading police on a pursuit in Greenbrier Tuesday afternoon.

The incident took place around 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 1, right after a big rainstorm, along Highway 41.

Greenbrier Police Department Deputy Chief Curt Allen was chasing a reckless driver -- later identified as 26-year-old Ladarius Kees -- when the suspect lost control of his Chevy Malibu and, at close to 70 mph, smashed into a utility pole. The pole snapped, bringing down live wires that landed on top of the car and around the crash site.

Allen was directly behind Kees, so he not only saw the crash, but he was almost hit by the falling pole. The deputy chief said he also observed arcs of electricity after the pole came down.

"We were telling everyone that the wires were still hot. They arced once the wires fell...a bright white light that people reported seeing from a pretty good ways away. My goal, at that point, was just making sure that my officers and all first responders were safe," Allen explained.

Allen said it took about 20 minutes to render the electrical wires safe. During that time, officers yelled at Kees, instructing him to stay in the vehicle for his own safety, but the suspect actually stood through the sunroof at one point.

"We gave him commands to stay in the car, not to touch anything because the lines were coming over the car," Allen recalled.

After disappearing in the car for a moment, Kees reemerged, which is when the convicted felon started discarding contraband, according to Allen.

Once it was safe, officers approached Kees, with Allen telling the man, "You chose to run from the police and you wrecked your car. You have to get out."

Allen said he could tell that Kees was seriously injured. After several minutes, first responders were able to get the 26-year-old out of the car and onto a backboard, which they loaded into an ambulance.

On the body camera footage, you can hear the interactions between EMS workers, law enforcement, and Kees.

"He's saying it feels like his leg's broken," one first responder said. "Looks like his hip's out of pocket."

On his way into the ambulance, Kees yelled to someone, "Hey, Wayne! My leg broke!"

Meanwhile, authorities found what's believed to be more than half a pound of methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, and marijuana

"All that is meth," one officer said. "See the big chunks? We need pictures of all that."

While counting the $1,500 that officers retrieved from Kees' pants pocket, Allen experienced a fright as he found dollar bills with purple residue on them. The deputy chief was not wearing gloved as he handled the money, so he instructed law enforcement to get him some gloves.

Allen admitted the residue could contain trace elements of fentanyl. However, he told News 2 he "did not notice any ill effects."

Kees was reportedly brought to the hospital, but there's no word on his current condition. After he's released from the medical facility, police said he'll being going to jail.

According to the Tennessee Department of Correction, Kees was sentenced in 2020 to five years "community corrections" for robbery and two counts of evading arrest (flight), but his supervision was revoked in 2023 and he was ordered to serve the remainder of his five-year sentence in custody. Then, in 2024, Kees was sentenced to two years' probation for evading arrest (risk of death) and possession of a firearm as a felon with a prior drug offense. His probation was reinstated back in May.

No additional details have been released about Tuesday's incident.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/man-crashes-into-utility-pole-during-greenbrier-police-chase/