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Police: Passenger Jumps Into Driver’s Lap During Pursuit

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LONDON, Ky. (LEX 18)– A man is behind bars after leading police on a bizarre chase.

It started around 10:39 p.m. Wednesday on McFadden Lane.

Police attempted to pull over a vehicle and realized 30-year-old Christopher K. Joseph,  a passenger in the vehicle, had a parole warrant out of Laurel County. When they asked him to step out of the vehicle, he rolled up the window and locked the door. He then slid into the driver’s lap attempting to gain control of the vehicle.

While attempting to shove the driver out of the vehicle, he placed the vehicle in reverse and backed into a cruiser. Joseph’s actions created an immediate threat of serious injury or threat to officers standing in close proximity. Officers then broke the passenger side window and attempted to stop him.

Joseph shoved the driver out of the vehicle and police engaged in high-speed pursuit from East 3rd Street to North Hill Street, and East 6th Street to North Mill Street.

He then turned the vehicle’s lights off and turned left onto West 7th Street. At the intersection of Parman and West 7th Street, he entered a driveway of a residence and struck two parked vehicles.

He then exited his vehicle and fell on the road where he resisted arrest. He stated to officers that he ingested methamphetamine and had been using it all day.

Joseph was arrested and charged with first-degree fleeing or evading police, four counts of first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer, tampering with physical evidence, reckless driving, resisting arrest, first and second degree criminal mischief, second-degree assault, speeding 26 miles per hour or more over the speed limit, six counts of disregarding a stop sign, failure to wear a seat-belt, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs, and failure to illuminate head lamps.

He was lodged in the Laurel County Detention Center.