Howard Eugene Brown (Courtesy: Van Buren County Sheriff's Department)SMITHVILLE, TN (WSMV) -
Deputies arrested a man Wednesday who led them on a high-speed chase through three counties and caused a school to be put on lockdown.
The driver, Howard Eugene Brown, 35, of Smithville, TN, bailed out of his car in DeKalb County after running over spike strips and careening into a guard rail.
The chase started after a Van Buren County sheriff's deputy - seeing Brown had pulled over on the side of the road - stopped to see if he needed help.
Brown told the deputy he stopped to send a text message, and when the deputy went back to his cruiser to run the man's license, Brown drove away.
Several agencies chased the man through Smith and DeKalb counties, at times hitting speeds of 105 mph.
He later ditched his car along Bright Hill Road near Highway 70. Smithville Elementary was placed on lockdown as a precaution.
Deputies in DeKalb County finally found Brown at a home on Green County Road late Wednesday night.
He's now facing several charges including driving under the influence and reckless endangerment.
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