What began as an attempt by Smithville Police to make a traffic stop Thursday in the City of Smithville turned tragic as the driver failed to pull over, leading authorities on a pursuit into White County before losing his life in an officer-involved shooting by White County law enforcement.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting are under investigation by TBI Special Agents at the request of District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway.
Preliminary reports indicate the incident began around 4:30 p.m. with an attempted traffic stop in the City of Smithville. Smithville Police Officers tried to pull over a pickup truck hauling a trailer. The driver of the vehicle refused to stop, and the chase by Smithville Police continued on into White County until White County Sheriff’s Deputies and Sparta Police took over the pursuit. A DeKalb County Sheriff’s Deputy, who was following Smithville Police in support, terminated his involvement in the pursuit at the county line. White County authorities continued from Highway 70 to north on Highway 111, following the vehicle. The driver of the truck crashed into several of the law enforcement vehicles, hitting them on the side, and from behind.
At some point, the tires of the trailer appeared to have flattened, dumping some of the items from the trailer into the median.
As the driver continued down the road, two officers, one with the White County Sheriff’s Office , and one with the Sparta Police Department, fired shots toward the truck.
The truck, still hauling the trailer, veered off the highway, went down an embankment, and lodged in the tree line. The driver of the vehicle is deceased. He has not yet been positively identified.
Three officers, one from Sparta Police Department two from the White County Sheriff’s Office, sustained injuries consistent with being in a vehicle crash and have been transported to the hospital.
TBI Special Agents are continuing to investigate at the scene and interview witnesses, and the case remains active and ongoing. At the conclusion of this investigation, investigative case file will be turned over to the District Attorney General for his office’s review.
