Knoxville, TN - Traffic Stop - Handcuffed Suspect On  Narcotics Steals Police Car - Chase - Crash Over 200 Feet Embankment - Totaled

WBIR News 09-02-09

A traffic stop ended with a crashed police cruiser.

It happened around 2:30 am Wednesday morning. Knoxville Police conducted a traffic stop at Magnolia Avenue and Olive in East Knoxville.

Several people were in the car. One person, 20-year-old Steven Seiber was detained, handcuffed, and placed in the rear of the police car. Seiber was to be charged with possession of crack cocaine and marijuana.

Knoxville Police spokesman Darrell DeBusk said the the individuals inside the care were from the Lake City area.

While officers were dealing with the other people in the car, police say Seiber managed to get his cuffed hands from behind himself to his front, squeezed into the driver's compartment of the police car, and drove off.

Officers chased him on foot. The cruiser ended up across Summit Hill, crashing through a construction site and down an embankment on Hill Avenue.

Seiber was already out of the car when police arrived; canine officers found him hiding in thick weeds. Police said he was belligerent and combative when they took him into custody.

As they suspect he was under the influence of a narcotic, his blood was drawn for testing.

Seiber was taken to UT Medical Center with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.

In addition to being charged with the narcotics charges, Seiber is expected to be charged with escape, auto theft, DUI, reckless driving, and other traffic-related offenses.

Back\