Traffic stop in Pulaski County leads to high speed pursuit, two arrests

PULASKI COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – A traffic stop in Pulaski County on Sunday afternoon led to a high speed pursuit and two arrests. According to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy saw a driver run a stop sign at the intersection of East Highway 80 and Sycamore Street. After following the vehicle, the deputy says the driver was observed driving erratically, swerving, and crossing the white fog line on the shoulder of the road.

When the deputy tried to pull the driver over, the sheriff’s office says that’s when the driver took off leading the deputy on a high speed chase. At some point, deputies say the passenger, 34-year-old Clarence Awesome Lee of Somerset, got out of the vehicle. Deputies later determined Lee was wanted on warrants and arrested.

Source: Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office (Clarence Lee)

According to the sheriff’s office, the passenger identified the driver as 28-year-old Devin Owens of Danville. Deputies say during the pursuit, Lee Owens handed Lee an AR-15 and told him to begin shooting at the deputy pursuing them. Lee told deputies Owens had an AR-15 and two handguns inside the vehicle and that Owens was wearing body armor.

According to the sheriff’s office,  the Somerset Police Department located the vehicle at a motel and obtained surveillance footage showing Owens carrying a handgun inside, along with a female carrying a rifle.

After a brief standoff, deputies say Owens came out of his room and surrendered. He was then arrested.

According to the sheriff’s office, Owens was a convicted felon out of Indiana. Owens is charged with  disregarding a stop sign, reckless driving, disregarding a traffic controlled device – traffic light, speeding 26 MPH or more over the speed limit, fleeing or evading police 1st degree (Motor Vehicle), wanton endangerment 1st degree, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, and criminal mischief 1st degree. The sheriff’s office says Owens was also served a bench warrant out of Washington County, Kentucky for contempt of court related to a 2019 case.

Deputies with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant at the room previously occupied by Owens and his wife and three children. The search warrant also included the car that Owens was driving during the pursuit.

According to the sheriff’s office, deputies found two plastic bags of suspected methamphetamine in the trunk of the vehicle, one bag weighed approximately 54.4 grams and the other weighed approximately
52.3 grams. Deputies also found approximately 3.5 grams of suspected marijuana and a set of digital scales.

In the hotel room, deputies found numerous empty plastic bags, a bag of suspected marijuana weighing approximately 23.5 grams, two marijuana pipes and rolling papers.

As a result of the search warrant, Owens was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance 1st degree, 1st Offense (more than two grams of Methamphetamine) firearms enhancement, and possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia – buy/possession.

Owens was booked in the Pulaski County Detention Center.