Two Henry County sheriff’s patrol cars sustain nearly $18K in damage from chase

Two Henry County sheriff’s deputies’ patrol vehicle are out of service indefinitely after sustaining damage in a crash during a high-speed chase last week.

The crash occurred early Wednesday morning during a chase that began on U.S. Highway 218 near Olds.

“The damage is just shy of $9,000 per car,” Sheriff Rich McNamee said Monday morning.

He said that one patrol vehicle sustained damage on the right front corner, with damaged that included a smashed grille and a wheel that was knocked off.

The other patrol vehicle has rear end damage.

“That knocked two cars out of our 17-car fleet,” McNamee said.

McNamee was not sure when the two patrol vehicles would be returned to service.

“They’ll probably be repaired,” he said. “Right now, we’re at the mercy of the insurance company and the body shop.”

After receiving word Wednesday morning that the car was suspected of eluding another law enforcement agency, deputies attempted a traffic stop, but the suspects’ vehicle sped off.

The driver of the suspect vehicle lost control and crashed, according to a sheriff’s news release.

The two suspects — driver, Keoone Walls, 22, and passenger, Labron Baltimore, 26 — fled on foot but were “located, identified and arrested,” according to the report.

Walls was charged with felony eluding while intoxicated, criminal mischief, interference with official acts, hemp inhalation, open container, no driver’s license, speeding, failure to maintain control, driving on the wrong side of a two-way highway, improper use of lanes and not having insurance, the report said.

Baltimore was charged with interference with official acts, open container and hemp inhalation, the report said.