Johnson City police arrested an Elizabethton man on multiple charges after an officer clocked him speeding and he attempted to get away.
Justin Price, 21, was taken into custody on West Main Street near Belmont after he hit a utility pole and crashed. He’s charged with DUI, felony reckless endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident, felony evading arrest and no proof of insurance.
Price was wobbly on his feet at the scene as he searched his wallet for his driver’s license. He was checked by Washington County/Johnson City EMS paramedics but did not require any treatment.
Officer David Smith said he first saw Price driving a red Toyota Tacoma pickup on University Parkway around 1:30 p.m. and clocked him going 70 mph in a 30 mph zone. Smith turned around to try and stop the vehicle, but he said Price “took off.”
The pursuit continued on University to Lamont Street where Smith said Price “split the lanes of traffic.” Smith said there were two lanes of traffic stopped at the red light and Price drove right up the middle. He hit a truck at the head of the line, Smith said.
From there, Price continued on to Market Street, then Main Street. That’s where he hit the utility pole and a speed limit sign. The impact disabled his pickup and he stopped a few yards away.
Smith said there were several empty beer cans and several unopened cans of alcohol inside Price’s truck. From the point of impact to where the truck stopped, debris from the pickup was strewn in the road, including one empty beer can.
Price threw up several times while police were investigating the crash. He was transported to the Washington County Detention Center. Below is an earlier version of this story:A drunken driver crashed his pickup into another truck and then into a utility pole this afternoon after Johnson City police spotted him speeding on University Parkway, police said.An officer clocked the man doing 70 mph on University Parkway in a red Toyota Tacoma about 1:30 p.m. He struck another truck at Lamont Street before proceeding on to West Market Street and then to West Main Street, where he crashed into a utility pole near Belmont Street, police said.He was taken into custody.Keep visiting JohnsonCityPress.com for more details.