DUANE SHERRILLEditor

A parolee with a history of running from the law led officers on a chase across Coffee County Wednesday, slamming numerous vehicles before being chased down and captured by lawmen after he bolted from his vehicle when it became disabled in the middle of Jackson Street.

The suspect, Leslie Simon Boyd, 37, faces 30 criminal counts for his run from the law, which ended when he was tased by officers who chased him down by foot near Zaxby’s and Hampton Inn off Jackson Street late Wednesday afternoon. The counts include multiple felony warrants charging aggravated assault along with multiple counts of evading arrest, resisting arrest, assault on a first responder and reckless endangerment. He is also charged with DUI, driving on a suspended license and simple possession of drugs.

The arrests have also led to warrants charging him with violation of parole. He was on parole for an incident in December 2021 in which he was charged with evading arrest with risk of death or injury. His supervised parole was set to continue until Aug. 29, 2025. He is now being held at the Coffee County Jail with no bond.

According to arrest warrants against Boyd, the chain of events that led to the high speed chase began to unfold when officers in Manchester tried to pull him over for improper display of tags.

“He took off at a high rate of speed,” the officer reported, noting Boyd hit four different vehicles with one of them being a first responder. “The subject then drove into Tullahoma at high rates of speed.”

Officers reported that Boyd ran from his car once it was disabled due to heavy front end damage from the impacts with other cars.

“A deputy gave him commands to get on the ground and put his hands behind his back,” the warrant reads. “He ignored commands and an assisting county deputy deployed his taser.”

A later count discovered there were seven total victims in the case, explaining the high number of counts which included each victim that Boyd allegedly hit in his attempt to get away. According to Tullahoma Police Chief Chase Sons, one of those vehicles was a Tullahoma Police Department vehicle.

Sons added the motorists Boyd hit during the chase escaped serious injury as no serious injuries were reported to the department.

A search of his car netted a box containing a glass pipe and needles and Boyd allegedly told officers he had smoked marijuana before the incident. Boyd had neither a driver license nor proof of insurance. Boyd is set for arraignment on Aug. 27.