MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man who led police on an interstate chase from Arkansas into Memphis was taken into custody Tuesday, but then escaped from a hospital bed, stole a car and got away again, West Memphis Police said.
The suspect’s name is Jeremy Fletcher, and police say he is still on the loose.
Police in West Memphis say they followed Fletcher, who was suspected of stealing a car theft from a truck stop, across the river and into Memphis.
Officers say the suspect began driving erratically when he crossed the state line.
He hit a guard rail and a squad car on Interstate 40 near Danny Thomas Boulevard.
The driver was taken into custody and was transported to the Regional Medical Center for attention. That’s when the story took another turn.
Police say Fletcher was handcuffed to a bed, but he got loose and carjacked a person. Memphis Police said he got out of the car a few miles away at Race Street and Mississippi Boulevard and fled.
The person he carjacked wasn’t hurt, police said.
According to the Tennessee Department of Corrections, Fletcher served time in 2005 for burglary and theft and again in 2012 for robbery and evading arrest.
Counting at least 9 law enforcement vehicles. Again, this is on I-40 west of Danny Thomas. Looks like it originated in W Memphis pic.twitter.com/FtyMMc2Klz
— Luke Jones (@LukeJonesTV) August 1, 2017
#breaking: @wmemphispolice were chasing theft suspect, when he crashed into guardrail & police cruiser pic.twitter.com/VfdXNAHp5J
— Luke Jones (@LukeJonesTV) August 1, 2017
Police confirm suspect from earlier I-40 chase escaped from bed at Regional Medical Center and carjacked a woman. Still on the loose pic.twitter.com/kBCwXffZuM
— Luke Jones (@LukeJonesTV) August 1, 2017