Arrest Made After Chase Through Clay and Marion Counties

A 49-year-old Louisville man is being held in the Marion County Jail on multiple charges after leading Clay and Marion County officials on a chase in a stolen vehicle from east of Flora to north of Salem Saturday.

At one point during the attempt to stop Carl Swift of West Chestnut Street, he allegedly rammed the side of a Marion County Sheriff's Department squad car that was trying to block his path. Swift was arrested for alleged possession of a stolen car, reckless driving, fleeing and attempting to elude police, criminal damage to property and driving on a revoked license.

A Clay County Sheriff's Deputy initially responded to a call of a man acting suspicious at the Clay City Casey's General Store. While traveling on U. S. 50 east of Flora, the deputy reported the suspect car hit him nearly head on. The Clay County Deputy turned around and began trying to stop the vehicle. The Deputy was joined by Flora Police who followed the car into Salem where Marion County Sheriff's Deputies took up the pursuit.

After turning North on Walnut Street, the suspect vehicle wound through a north side Salem neighborhood before getting onto North College, Boone and then headed north out of town on Route 37 North. At one point, near Basom Road, the suspect vehicle nearly hit an oncoming car head on. A short time later, a deputy attempted to cut off the car to get it to stop and the sheriff's vehicle was rammed on the driver's side. The suspect car then continued north on Route 37 to the Martin Road area, where it apparently ran out of gas. Swift allegedly refused to get out of the car and had to be pulled from the vehicle by sheriff's deputies.

The car had reportedly been stolen in Flora from Douglas Griffith earlier Saturday night.