3 arrested in two car chases Wednesday morning

Three men were arrested <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday</span></span> morning following two separate vehicle pursuits in Johnson County.

Two men were arrested by Johnson County Sheriff’s Office deputies after a pursuit that went into Brown County while a third man was arrested by a deputy after an unrelated chase that ended in a Greenwood mobile home community.

Two Johnson County Sheriff’s Office deputies were stationed at the intersection of County Roads 575 West and 700 South about <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">4 a.m.</span></span> <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday</span></span> morning, ready to assist with a vehicle pursuit taking place in Morgan County. They saw a car driving west on County Road 700 South at a high rate of speed, a Johnson County Sheriff’s Office report said.

A deputy pursued the vehicle into Brown County at speeds as high as 72 mph, the report said.

The car hit two stop sticks deployed by the Brown County Sheriff’s Office on Spearsville Road and continued to drive before coming to a stop. The deputy chased the driver who had begun running toward a wooded area. A Taser fired at the driver didn’t stick in him, and the deputy continued to chase him before tackling and handcuffing him, the report said.

Three used syringes were found in the driver’s pocket and two spoons were in the car, the report said.

The driver, Philip Lasley, 35, of Trafalgar,was arrested on two charges of resisting law enforcement and charges of possession of a restricted drug injection device and driving with a suspended or revoked license.

The passenger, Jason Richardson, 28, of Nashville, was arrested on a charge of possession of a restricted drug injection device.

Lasley, 8963 N. Green Road, was arrested and taken to Johnson County jail on $4,400 bond. Richardson, 4391 State Road 135, Apt. A, was arrested and taken to Johnson County jail on $1,200 bond.

In a second chase that began around <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">10:15 a.m.</span></span> <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday</span></span>, a deputy chased a man who had fled in a vehicle when the deputy tried to pull him over for a traffic violation along Worthsville Road, Johnson County Sheriff Doug Cox said.

The deputy pursued the driver north on U.S. 31 to the Greenwood Estates mobile home community. The driver got out of his vehicle as though he was going to run, and was struck with a Taser and arrested, Cox said.

The name of the driver hasn’t been released yet. He has been arrested and will be taken to Johnson County jail.