A Kentucky man has been arrested after police say he attempted to flee into the woods before getting lost and begging them for help to get out.
Shortly after ditching his vehicle on Saturday night, Michael Root Jr, 26, is accused of telling officers by phone that he wished to turn himself in and was located with the help of a police drone.
Deputies from Laurel County Sheriff’s office responded shortly before 11 p.m. to reports of a fight in an apartment complex in London, Kentucky. As they were on their way it was reported a white vehicle had fled the scene.
A traffic stop of the suspect’s vehicle, a Chrysler 300 series, was attempted but police say the driver, later identified as Root, failed to stop.
According to the sheriff’s office, it was around four miles north of London when the vehicle veered into the wrong lane of traffic, with the driver slamming on the brakes intentionally on the wet road and causing a deputy’s cruiser to crash into the car.
Police say Root then fled into the woods leaving a female passenger behind.
Deputies identified Root then called him on his cell phone and learned that he wanted to turn himself in.
“The suspect was lost in the woods not able to find his way out,” the sheriff’s department wrote in a press release.
“Deputies notified the London – Laurel County rescue squad to bring their drone to the area to help locate the suspect and a short time later through the use of the drone, deputies were able to locate the suspect in the woods taking him into custody without incident.”
Police later claimed Root had fled due to three outstanding warrants against him.
Root was charged with fleeing or evading police in a motor vehicle; fleeing or evading police on foot; wanton endangerment of a police officer, and wanton endangerment, following Saturday’s incident.
In addition the suspect was charged on three outstanding warrants. Root is currently being held in the Laurel County correctional center.
The deputy who collided with his vehicle, Robert Smith, was transported to St. Joseph Hospital London, treated and released.
The female passenger was not harmed and has not been charged, police said.
