To: All News Agencies

From: Sheriff Jon Hayden

Date: January 18, 2008

Re: Update on arrest of Dale E. Wyatt

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On January 16, 2008 (Wed) at approx 10:08PM, several reports were called into the Paducah-McCracken County 911 Center of a vehicle traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of Interstate 24. McCracken Sheriff's deputies scrambled to the Interstate in an attempt to stop the wrong way driver.

The vehicle continued until the 9 mile marker before being stopped by McCracken Sheriff's Deputy Mark Vallelunga. The driver 48 year old Dale E. Wyatt of Benton was found to be extremely intoxicated (other than alcohol). He was charged with Driving Under the Influence 2nd Offense.

After further investigation which consisted of speaking with callers who had been forced off the road by Wyatt, reviewing the in-car video from the sheriff's cruiser, and consulting with the counties prosecutors, Mr. Wyatt was charged with (17) seventeen counts of 1st Degree Wanton Endangerment. Each count is a class D felony which carries a 1 to 5 year prison sentence. "At this point, we have evidence of seventeen vehicles that he met / or forced off of the interstate on the night in question."

"We continue to urge anyone that may have met this vehicle going the wrong way on Interstate 24 on Wednesday night, to please contact the sheriff's department. We all are very fortunate that this incident did not result in anyone being seriously injured or killed."

End of Release

Sheriff Jon Hayden

McCracken Co. Sheriff's Department