A St. Petersburg man is behind bars, accused of leading Kentucky police on a chase with a body in the back seat of his vehicle.
"We had a very unique situation earlier this morning," Kentucky State Police Trooper Scottie Pennington said.
Pennington said troopers saw the vehicle driving carelessly and attempted to stop the driver. The driver, identified as David Reed, 54, by WKYT, pulled over but sped off when troopers approached the vehicle, according to police.
Troopers chased Reed through several counties before they eventually stopped him and took him into custody, Pennington said.
"At that time, they looked through the windows, and they located a deceased person in the back of the vehicle."
The victim was identified as 53-year-old Rachel Louise Carder of Huntington, WV.
During a safety sweep of the vehicle, officers found a female body inside a plastic tote in the back hatch. According to a citation, Cader had trauma to her face and wounds from an edged weapon.
Reed admitted to getting into a physical altercation with Cader in a motel room and choking her neck. A citation said Reed also admitted the assault occurred in close proximity to the interstate, but he was not able to confirm the exact location.
"We were doing our jobs, making a traffic stop on a minor violation. Things like this happen. You hear stories of it. But that is why we do our jobs," Pennington said.
Police said Reed was treated for injuries to his eyes caused by breaking glass.
WKYT reported Reed is charged with murder-domestic violence, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse, fleeing or evading police, criminal mischief, wanton endangerment, careless driving, resisting arrest, and having no operator’s license.
Officials said he was lodged in Laurel County Correctional Center.
They also said several state police cruisers were damaged when they were rammed in the chase. Kentucky State Police is continuing this investigation.
