A plea deal was reached Thursday morning in Christian Circuit Court for a Clarksville man with a long criminal history who led police on a vehicle and foot pursuit in February.
The original arrest citation from Hopkinsville police for 43-year old Damien Gray of Clarksville says officers received a call of a burglary in progress on February 18 in the 10000 block of Fort Campbell Boulevard and Christian County sheriff’s deputies located the van involved headed north.
A vehicle pursuit ensued and the report says Gray entered a parking lot and nearly struck a deputy.
Gray eventually wrecked in a field near Paul Berry Circle and he and his passenger, 35-year old Sarah Barton of Clarksville, were both arrested following a brief foot pursuit.
Gray on Thursday pled guilty to wanton endangerment in the first-degree, fleeing or evading police and receiving stolen property as part of a deal that Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Boling says comes with a recommended sentence of two years and one day in prison.
Public defender Eric Bearden told Judge John Atkins that Gray has several years of prison time awaiting him in Tennessee and he’ll be seeking a release from Kentucky to face his charges there—especially considering the six month’s he’s already served locally.
Judge Atkins indicated that if Bearden can figure out a way for Gray to make restitution of $1,000 to HPD for damage to one of its vehicles either via cash or an insurance claim, he’ll be open to sending him to Tennessee at formal sentencing in September.
Gray was arrested by Clarksville police in January of 2019 for seven counts of burglary and six counts of theft for numerous burglaries at storage units and at least one business.