An East Ridge officer was injured during a chase of two theft suspects Thursday afternoon.
Lt. Lynn Ford was responding emergency traffic to the pursuit when he was involved in a crash at the intersection of McBrien Road at South Terrace. East Ridge Fire/Rescue and Chattanooga Fire/Rescue along with Memorial EMS responded to the scene. Lt. Ford was transported to Erlanger Hospital for evaluation. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. Chattanooga Police responded to investigate the crash.
The incident sent a host of both Chattanooga and East Ridge officers to the vicinity of the old Kmart on North Terrace near the line between the two cities.
It started when a couple was spotted at 11:34 a.
m. lifting a generator into the back of a pickup truck at a construction site on McBrien Road.
During the commission of the theft the suspects attempted to run over the victim with the Ford F-150 they were driving. East Ridge Police officers responding to the area observed the white male driver and white female suspects leaving the scene. A traffic stop was initiated on Spring Creek Road in which the suspects did not stop. A vehicle pursuit ensued.
The suspects led officers on a lengthy pursuit both inside the city of East Ridge and Chattanooga. Officers lost contact with the suspects near the intersection of Belvoir Avenue and Brainerd Road. Officers found the vehicle at the intersection of North Terrace and Germantown Road and took the female suspect into custody without incident.
The man, however, had fled the vehicle on foot. A ground search for the suspect by Chattanooga and East Ridge officers was conducted. The suspect was taken into custody by Chattanooga officers in a drainage ditch near the intersection of Mayfair Avenue and Haney Drive.
The suspects have been identified as Sky Douglas Bishop, 30, of Cleveland, Tn., and Megan Brooke Avans, 28, of Chattanooga.. Bishop has been charged with aggravated burglary, theft over $1,000, aggravated assault, felony evading, and felony reckless endangerment. Ms. Avens has been charged with aggravated burglary, theft over $1,000, possession of a firearm during a dangerous felony, aggravated assault, felony evading, and felony reckless endangerment.