Additional details have been released on a pursuit that led to a Christian County sheriff’s deputy and Hopkinsville police officer being injured in an accident at Ninth and Main Street in Hopkinsville early Thursday morning.
Christian County Sheriffs’ Sgt. John Quarles initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of Fort Campbell Boulevard and Eagle Way Bypass for failure to dim their headlights and police say 20-year-old Taymeo Machado of Clarksville refused to stop and led authorities on a chase through the streets of Hopkinsville.
During the pursuit at about 12:30 a.m., Deputy Andrew Hoffman was southbound on South Main and Hopkinsville Police Officer Jarrit Beasley was westbound on East Ninth.
Both had their lights and siren engaged and both said Officer Beasley had a green light as they approached the intersection, according to the collision report from HPD, which says the front of Deputy Hoffman’s SUV struck the passenger side of Officer Beasley’s cruiser.
Both drivers were taken to Jennie Stuart Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries and Deputy Hoffman was later transferred to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition. Officer Beasley was treated at Jennie Stuart and released.
Machado was eventually stopped in the area of the Hopkinsville Middle school practice field and polce say a search of the vehicle yielded a handgun under the seat and several suspected Xanax pills in a plastic baggie.
Machado was arrested and charged with fleeing or evading police, first-degree wanton endangerment, possession of a controlled substance, carrying a concealed deadly weapon and several traffic-related counts.
His passenger, 23-year old Dalton Dodd of Clarksville, was also arrested and charged with carrying a concealed deadly weapon, possession of a controlled substance and he was served with two Christian County warrants for probation violation and failure to pay.