Car chase followed by foot chase sends man to hospital

Following a foot chase, Nigel Wooten, age 22, of Memphis, ended up at Baptist Memorial Hospital Union County Monday after fleeing New Albany Police Department (NAPD) officers.

The incident began at around 12:30 p.m. when an NAPD officer attempted to stop the man on Interstate 22 for a traffic violation. The officer gave chase and the suspect exited at Munsford Drive, heading west. He stopped briefly, but then made a u-turn on Munsford and headed back toward Bankhead Street.

Shrubbery was torn up as Wooten’s car flew from where it struck a utility trailer at intersection of Bankhead St. and Highway 30.

The fleeing motorist turned east toward downtown New Albany on Bankhead St., and blew through the Glenfield intersection at a high speed. A few moments later he struck a utility trailer as he attempted to speed through the intersection of Bankhead and Highway 30.

His car ran into the ditch into a landscaped area after striking the utility trailer. Wooten then took off, running afoot, generally northward across the BNSF railroad tracks. After a brief foot race NAPD and Union County sheriff’s department officers caught the suspect near Moss Hill Drive.

Wooten was then transported to the Union County jail on Carter Avenue for booking. At the jail, he apparently lost consciousness and was transported by ambulance to the ER at Baptist Union County. Wooten was examined and released  from the Emergency Room, and is now in the custody of the Union County Sheriff’s Department.

The New Albany Police Department is now cooperating with out-of-state law enforcement agencies regarding other crimes in which Wooten may have been involved. At a minimum, he will face charges for having fled from the NAPD officer.

No police officers or anyone other than the suspect were believed to have been injured in the incident.

NAnewsweb.com will post additional information as it becomes available.