Citation: State police capture Tennessee fugitive after two days of pursuits

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Mud stopped a Tennessee man in a stolen truck after multiple law enforcement officers in two states chased him during two separate pursuits, one Sunday and one Monday.

The first pursuit began Sunday in Sumner County, Tenn. when law enforcement officers there told Kentucky State Police that James Torsak, 31, was driving a stolen vehicle. Sumner County authorities ended their pursuit when the vehicle crossed the state line, according to Torsak’s arrest citation.

Kentucky State Police caught up to Torsak as he traveled at speeds up to 111 miles per hour down Interstate 65, according to his citation. When he reached Smiths Grove, he took off on Ky. 101 and drove through a field before returning to the interstate and driving back into Tennessee where authorities there lost sight of him.

Monday, police in Tennessee spotted the pick up truck again. The burgundy truck had been spray painted black. With the assistance of multiple agencies including the Tennessee Highway Patrol helicopter, police again pursued the truck which once again left Tennessee and traveled into Kentucky, according to the citation.

After reaching speeds close to 100 miles per hour, the vehicle got off of Scottsville Road and turned onto Collett Bridge Road breaking through a fence and ripping sod out of a yard. Torsak attempted to drive the car up an embankment but became stuck in the mud and wedged by a tree, according to the citation.

He refused to exit the vehicle when told. Kentucky State Police broke out one of the windows and assisted him out of the vehicle, according to his ctiation.

Torsak told police he didn’t see them behind him and he wasn’t the person being chased in the same vehicle Sunday. He was medically cleared and lodged in the Warren County Regional Jail.

He was charged with two counts of speeding 26 miles per hour or more over the limit, two counts of reckless driving, two counts of first-degree fleeing or evading police, two counts of receiving stolen property $10,000 or more, two counts of operating on a suspended license, two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, third-degree criminal mischief and fugitive from another state, according to Warren Circuit Court Clerk records.

Once he arrived at the jail, deputy jailers said they found a small plastic bag with suspected methamphetamine near his right calf. He was wearing several layers of clothing and the substance was located under long underwear and a long white sock he was wearing when he entered the jail, according to court records.

He was arraigned Tuesday in Warren District Court and his bond was set at $10,000 on the majority of the Kentucky charges. There is no bond set on the fugitive charge.

Torsak has warrants in Tennessee charging him with three counts of evading arrest by motor vehicle, three counts of driving on a suspended license, failure to stop at a stop sign, probation violation, felony theft of property $10,000 to $60,000, theft of property of a motor vehicle $10,000 to $60,000, two counts of reckless endangerment by a motor vehicle,  two counts of driving on a roadways laned for traffic, two counts of speeding and felony vandalism, according to the Sumner County (Tenn.) Sheriff’s Office.

Prior to the chases, Torsak was on probation in Tennessee for convictions of forgery, three counts of theft, driving on a revoked license, domestic assault, aggravated burglary, reckless endangerment and aggravated assault, according to the sheriff’s office.