Last week Cumberland County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Crossville man on numerous charges after a 90 mph chase on Lantana Rd.
Adam Berrier was charged with aggravated assault, felony reckless endangerment with a vehicle, DUI, evading arrest, driving on a revoked or suspended license, and resisting arrest.
Thursday afternoon Deputy Nathan Lewis reported he observed a silver-colored minivan traveling at an extremely high rate of speed outbound on Lantana Rd. Lewis reported after he attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle, the driver began to accelerate more.
“The speed of the van was approximately 80 mph. The driver of the vehicle continued outbound driving into the wrong lane of travel, passing on double yellow, running other motorists off of the roadway. The driver of the vehicle attempted to make an evasive maneuver by locking up his brakes and making a left turn onto Lantana Dr. I followed the vehicle down Lantana Dr. where the driver made the loop and continued back towards Lantana Rd.,” Lewis reported.
The driver then made a right turn back onto Lantana Road and continued at a high rate of speed back towards town. The driver was traveling at an approximate speed of 90 mph, the deputy’s report continued.
“As we continued inbound, deputies were in place to deploy spike strips. The driver of the vehicle began to drive even more erratic and flipped the middle finger from his window several times while driving. Deputies were able to successfully deploy spike strips and the passenger side tires of the vehicle began to go flat,” Lewis’ report states.
The erratic driving continued as he got closer to town and a second set of spike strips were deployed flattening the driver’s side tires of the vehicle.
Lewis reported, “The driver began to intentionally swerve at law enforcement and struck three patrol units, one belonging to Crossville Police Department driven by Crossville Police Officer Jeremy Beard and the other two belonging to CCSO driven by Deputy Smith and the other to myself.”
Berrier’s vehicle was forced off the road where he was taken into custody. Lewis stated Berrier had red, watery eyes and a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage.
A search of the vehicle revealed an almost empty bottle of James Foxe Canadian Whiskey. Berrier was checked and treated by EMS for minor injuries before he was taken to the Cumberland County Jail.
Lewis applied for a search warrant to obtain a blood sample from Berrier, which was granted. While waiting, Berrier reportedly said “he had drank too much, and it causes him to act in this manner,” Lewis reported.
Prior to the chase, several reports of a male subject in a silver minivan stopped in the middle of the road and screaming at people on S. Main St. were made. One caller told dispatch the vehicle was “all over the road almost causing several accidents.”
Lewis said the license plate given by the caller matched the tag of the van involved in the pursuit.
Berrier is scheduled to appear in Cumberland County General Sessions Court March 25.