The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office and three other agencies ended a vehicle pursuit in Ooltewah Monday afternoon with the arrest of the driver on several felony counts.

Steven Ballou, 29, of Chattanooga, was identified as the driver of a Dodge Durango that fled when BCSO deputies assigned to the Drug Enforcement Unit attempted a traffic stop on I-75 for speed and failing to maintain lane.

Steven Ballou

The pursuit continued southbound on the interstate from the area of the 29-mile marker to south of exit 20 where the vehicle crossed through the median and then proceeded in the northbound lane to exit 20. At that point the vehicle exited onto APD-40 and then got off onto U.S. 11. The Durango continued south until reaching Ooltewah where the Tennessee Highway Patrol and Collegedale Police Department were waiting with spike strips. The Durango turned quickly into a plaza parking lot to avoid driving over the strips and was blocked in by Hamilton County and Bradley County officers.

Other passengers in the Durango were questioned and then released.

Ballou, who has a previous criminal history, is charged with driving on a suspended license, felony possession of a firearm, evading arrest, two counts of felony vandalism, five counts of felony reckless endangerment, three counts of aggravated assault on an officer, speeding, and failure to maintain lane.

Sheriff Tim Gobble expressed appreciation to the THP, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, the Collegedale Police Department, and the 10th Judicial District Drug Task Force for the assistance they provided in getting the vehicle stopped and this felon off the streets.

Ballou is currently held at the Bradley County jail and will be arraigned in General Sessions Court today.

Possible federal charges are pending.