London man arrested after allegedly causing crash with deputies, running into woods

LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56) — A London man with numerous outstanding warrants was arrested Saturday night after a chase led to him allegedly causing a crash with a Laurel County deputy before running into the woods, where he later turned himself in.

The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) posted on Facebook that earlier on Saturday, July 19, deputies had been dispatched to the area of KY-638 in response to a complaint of fighting in apartments near there. They tried to stop the driver of a white Chrysler 300 amid reports that a white car had fled the scene where the fight complaints came from, but 26-year-old Michael Root Jr. allegedly kept driving through city limits and onto KY-30.

According to law enforcement, about four miles north of town, Root allegedly veered the Chrysler into the wrong lane of traffic, “slamming on his brakes intentionally on the wet roadway,” which caused deputies to crash into his car.

After the crash, Root ran out into the nearby woods, abandoning a woman passenger. She wasn’t injured and was not charged, per the LCSO.

Investigators were able to get in touch with Root via cell phone, at which point he reportedly told deputies he wanted to turn himself in.

“The suspect was lost in the woods not able to find his way out,” officials wrote.

Working with the London-Laurel County Rescue Squad, a drone was used to help find him. He was then brought out of the woods, arrested, and lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center.

According to the sheriff’s office, Root was charged with:

• First-degree fleeing or evading police in a motor vehicle
• First-degree fleeing or evading police on foot
• First-degree wanton endangerment with a police officer as a victim
• First-degree wanton endangerment

Deputies wrote he was also charged in connection with three outstanding warrants.

Root was lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center.

The deputy involved in the crash was taken to a local hospital, treated, and released, officials said.

The chase investigation remains ongoing.