From WRIL -
On Thursday, June 20, 2019 just after 7:00pm Middlesboro Police Sgt. Barry Cowan was patrolling in the Avondale Avenue area and saw 54 year old Michael Nash of Middlesboro who he knew to be wanted on several bench warrants including a parole violation.
Once Nash saw Sgt. Cowan exit his patrol car, he fled on foot into a wooded area.
Responding shortly afterward were Acting Chief Tom Busic and K-9 Officer Harvey Johnson with K-9 Atlas. Officer Johnson deployed Atlas who tracked Nash to a brush pile where he tried to hide himself. He was arrested without further incident.
Michael Nash was then transported to and lodged in the Bell County Detention Center charged with fleeing or evading police on foot and he was served the parole violation for absconding supervision and failure to attend treatment for substance abuse. Nash was also served three failure to appear warrants and a pay or stay warrant.
While there are bonds on the warrants, none have been set for the fleeing charge or parole violation.
Chief Busic states that this was the first use of K-9 Atlas for a tracking issue leading to apprehension. He added that K-9 Officer Johnson has been successful in using Atlas for several drug related arrests.