A man was arrested in the early hours of Friday morning after allegedly leading multiple law enforcement units on a pursuit that covered speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour.
Anthony Cox, 28, Hillsboro, was arrested after he was found hiding under a pile of sticks on Muntz Street, according to Highland County Sheriff Donnie Barrera.
The pursuit, which lasted a mere 14 minutes just after midnight, began on East Main Street when a sheriff’s deputy, on his way to a separate call in the Lynchburg area with lights and sirens fully engaged, came up behind a westbound vehicle on East Main Street, at which point the vehicle took off at a high rate of speed in an attempt to elude the deputy, Barrera said.
According to Barrera, the chase led law enforcement onto West Main Street, then circled around via Oak Street, Pleasant Street, South Elm Street and West Walnut Street, back onto Oak Street and left on West Main Street toward SR 124.
Barrera said the vehicle turned right on SR 124 and reached a very high rate of speed, at one point driving off the right side of the roadway and striking a road sign.
The vehicle then turned left on Mad River Road, crossed U.S. Route 50 and continued until it reached SR 138, then turned left to head eastbound back into Hillsboro, Barrera said.
Barrera said the chase at times reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. Officers with the Hillsboro Police Department set up stop sticks at the intersection of South Elm Street and West South Street in town, but the vehicle braked, swerved around the spikes and missed them, then continued on West South Street, crossed South High Street onto East South Street and turned into a driveway, crashing into a chain link fence at the residence.
At that time, Barrera said, Cox exited the car and took off on foot.
The sheriff’s office K-9 unit was called to the scene, and after a brief hunt, Cox was found hiding under a pile of sticks behind Blair Trailer Park on Muntz Street, according to Barrera.
There were no injuries, and Cox was taken into custody without incident, Barrera said.
Barrera said Cox has been charged with fleeing and alluding and a probation violation.
“He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Barrera said. “If he would have been calm, the deputy would’ve gone right around him.”
The matter remains under investigation, and Barrera said he expects several more charges to be filed.
As previously reported by The Times-Gazette, Cox was arrested in April after leading HPD officers on a foot chase through Hillsboro. Cox had a warrant out for his arrest at the time for a separate matter. He was charged wtih obstructing justice, a first-degree misdemeanor, according to HPD interim chief Steve Browder.
Court records show Cox has a lengthy criminal record.
Reach David Wright at 937-402-2570, or on Twitter @DavidWrighter.
