A four-county high speed pursuit has ended this afternoon on Highway 11 in Owsley County, just outside of Booneville. According to Irvine Chief of Police John Sturniolo, the family of the subject called his department with information about the subject who was reportedly distraught in a domestic matter and had stated to the family he was going back to the family cemetery in Irvine to either “kill himself” or “die by cop.”
The family said the subject was on his way to Irvine from North Carolina to the Oakdale Cemetery in Irvine to die either way. Chief Sturniolo spotted the subject on Cob Hill in Estill County late this afternoon and became the lead pursuit vehicle in a chase that would last nearly an hour and a half. The chase winded back and forth into Estill and Lee County, into Powell and eventually into Owsley County, where the subject was then able to be taken into custody without further incident. During the chase, the subject allegedly ran several other motorists off the roadway, and evaded spike strips, while exceeding estimated speeds of 80-90 mph on the curvy country roads.
Under arrest is 58 year old Bobby Farthing of North Carolina, formerly of Estill County. Farthing reportedly had a loaded .45 caliber handgun in his possession. He is lodged in the Three Forks Regional Jail in Beattyville. Irvine Police Department along with Ravenna Police Department and Estill, Lee and Owsley Sheriffs offices all aided in the pursuit and peaceful resolution. Lee County Schools held buses back approximately 20 minutes today because of the pursuit.
