The Tennessee Highway Patrol closed Interstate 24 westbound from Moore Road to the Ridge cut for about 20 minutes Thursday to conduct an investigation into a Georgia State Patrol chase and car wreck that happened Monday.
On Monday, Georgia troopers chased a suspect from Catoosa County, Ga., to the Ridge cut, where the vehicle crashed into a guardrail. Soon after the wreck, Chattanooga police were called to a carjacking with injuries.
On Thursday THP investigators went back to the scene of the crash to map the scene and take more photos, said Lt. John Harmon.
Desiree Hester, 19, was arrested in the carjacking. She allegedly stole a car and injured the owner by striking her with the vehicle.
Tyrell Flenoy, 20, who was driving the car involved in the chase, also fled the scene on Monday but has not yet been apprehended.
Hester and Flenoy are both members of the Bloods gang, according to an official with the TBI, and Flenoy should be considered armed and dangerous.
Desiree HesterThe high-speed chase began Monday around 4:45 p.m. in Catoosa County and continued until troopers with the Georgia State Patrol forcefully stopped the car near the ridge on westbound Interstate 24, according to Sgt. Darren Gleaton with GSP.
Officials are still unclear why Flenoy, who is wanted on a federal probation violation, was driving recklessly and refused to pull the car over when authorities began to follow. Gleaton said attention was first drawn to the car because it was driving at high speeds, passing cars in the emergency lane.
Troopers rammed the car into the concrete barrier, but Flenoy escaped through a passenger window, Gleaton said. As Flenoy was climbing out the window, a handgun fell onto the pavement. Flenoy ran down a grassy embankment and toward Fourth Avenue, where he disappeared into a wooded area.
Gleaton said troopers tried to track him with dogs but were not successful.
Four females remained in the car, including Hester.
As troopers began to get them out, Hester escaped and ran toward Lyerly Street, where she stole the car. According to GBI officials, she does not have a previous criminal record.
The three others were interviewed and released, Gleaton said.