Smithson Faces Charges

A medical emergency turns into a police chase in Auburn. Officers see Joe Smithson, slumped over the wheel of a pickup truck at a parking lot on Touring Drive. They are pretty sure he is intoxicated on something. As officers ask him questions…Smithson puts his truck into gear and flees from the scene. The chase goes down Auburn Drive…where he turns into Metal Technologies. He drove through grass, causing damage to property, and then came back onto Diehl Road…heading south. Smithson then turned west down a dead-end road at County Road 50 where his truck became disabled in tall weeds. He was taken into custody without injuries to himself or officers. Inside his truck, officers found hypodermic needles and more. He had an active warrant in a neighboring county…that’s why he ran…he tells officers.