Paducah man hospitalized after jumping from moving vehicle during police pursuit

During a chase with McCracken County deputies, a Paducah man was hospitalized Thursday after jumping from a moving vehicle.

McCracken County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call from the Massac County Sheriff’s Department of a vehicle failing to stop in Brookport. The Massac Deputies followed the truck driven by 29-year-old Corey J. Leonard of Paducah over the Brookport Bridge into Kentucky.

They said Leonard continued to evade deputies on Cairo Road when he exited the vehicle while traveling at estimated speeds of 50 miles an hour. Then, according to deputies, the truck left the road, traveling through a stop sign and into two parked cars.

They said after a brief chase, Leonard was captured, where he was found to have seven pounds of marijuana and approximately $2,500 in cash.

Authorities said due to injuries sustained from exiting the moving vehicle, Leonard was transported to Mercy Health and later airlifted to Vanderbilt Hospital for treatment of his injuries. Charges against Leonard are still pending.