WICKENBURG, Ariz. - According to court paperwork, one U.S. Airman had an eventful night in Wickenburg Saturday when he was driving in Arizona after being in Las Vegas earlier in the evening.
Brandon Cory Tyner, 21, has been with the U.S. Air Force for more than a year and resides at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, according to court records.
Tyner was reportedly driving in Wickenburg around 9 p.m. Saturday night when he caught the eye of Wickenberg Police Officer Justin Lemon, who detailed a unique, drawn out encounter with Tyner.
Lemon was in his fully marked police SUV on Highway 93 when he saw a Chevrolet Camaro rapidly approaching his car from behind. Lemon clocked it passing his patrol car at 65 m.p.h. in a 25 m.p.h. zone while entering the Highway 60 and Highway 93 roundabout.
Lemon flipped on his lights and siren and pursued Tyner, who continued westbound on Highway 60 while weaving in and out of traffic to try to lose Lemon, even swerving into oncoming traffic.
While approaching a traffic light at Tegner Street, Lemon said Tyner was driving 80-90 m.p.h. in a 35 zone. Lemon then lost Tyner after he drove under the BNSF railroad underpass.
Not long after, Lemon found Tyner's car again, this time as it turned into a business at 510 West Wickenburg Way.
Lemon blocked the driveway with his vehicle and approached the driver's side of Tyner's car with his firearm out, giving verbal commands to Tyner. Tyner then continued to drive through the circle driveway and toward Lemon.
Lemon jumped into the driver side of his patrol car to get out of the way and Tyner hit Lemon's driver side door, which on impact closed on Lemon's leg, according to court documents.
Tyner got back on the road, going eastbound on Highway 60. Lemon wasn't able to pursue.
Arizona Highway Patrol was notified Tyner's car was abandoned at the gated entrance to the Wickenburg Ranch Neighborhood off of Highway 93.
Wickenburg Police officers, DPS Troopers and deputies from the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office all responded to the area.
The car's damage on the front end driver's side was consistent with the collision with Officer Lemon's patrol vehicle. The driver door was open and nobody was inside.
After an hour of searching the area, police received a call from Tyner via his girlfriend, who had arrived on scene. Tyner surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody without incident, according to court documents.
Tyner told police that he thought he had consumed "crystal" (meth) and "H" (heroin) while he was in Las Vegas earlier that day and that the drugs were in his center console.
Furthermore, Tyner told police he thought he was "in a video game" and that he visited the place where he abandoned his car in a dream about a month earlier.
Officers executed a search warrant of the car and found tin foil in the center console that had burnt heroin residue.
Tyner is being charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (meaning his vehicle), aggravated assault against an officer, unlawful flight from law enforcement, reckless driving, endangerment, criminal damage, narcotic drug possession and use and drug paraphernalia possession and use.
