A 19-year-old Hopkinsville man is facing a stack of felony charges after police say an automated camera system tracked down his car following an armed home invasion, triggering a chase that ended with the vehicle in flames near Butler Road and Gospel Peace Road. McHale Lewis-Manning was taken into custody following the crash, and a teenager who had been riding in the car was also placed in handcuffs.
The chase began after an alleged armed robbery on Jan Drive in Hopkinsville on September 9, where police say Lewis-Manning and 20-year-old Jahtavius Larkin held a father and his minor son at gunpoint, according to Christian County Now. The outlet reports the suspects struck the father with a rifle, forced him to make digital money transfers through CashApp and Apple Pay, and made off with electronics. Later, Hopkinsville Police located the suspect vehicle on East 18th Street after the city's Flock Safety license plate reader system flagged the car, the outlet reported, kicking off a pursuit in which officers deployed spike strips before deputies executed a PIT maneuver.
Spike Strips Failed, Then a PIT Maneuver Ended the Run
The spike strips deployed on surrounding roadways failed to stop the fleeing Kia Forte, per the same account from Christian County Now. Christian County deputies assisted Hopkinsville Police in the pursuit before executing what officers described as a precision move to force the car off the roadway, and the vehicle caught fire shortly after the arrest. The Highland Volunteer Fire Department responded to extinguish the resulting blaze, the outlet notes.
Following the crash, Hopkinsville Police charged Lewis-Manning with first-degree robbery, adult kidnapping, minor kidnapping, and second-degree unlawful transaction with a minor, according to the report from Christian County Now. Deputies separately charged him with first-degree fleeing or evading police, first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer, first-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and speeding in connection with the county pursuit. WZTV reported that the chase ended with the car on fire and a teenager in handcuffs, and that Lewis-Manning is from Hopkinsville.
Automated Cameras Did the Legwork
The rapid detection underscores how central Flock Safety's automated license plate reader cameras have become to policing in Christian County. Hopkinsville Police operate the cameras to assist investigations, expanding the network across key corridors even as local discussions over privacy and transparency continue, according to WKDZ. Police officials have said the cameras assist investigations rather than provide continuous live video surveillance, per that report.
This is not the first high-stakes arrest the technology has enabled locally. Hoodline previously reported that Hopkinsville Police and Christian County deputies used the same Flock Safety network in August 2024 to track a fleeing murder suspect to a local apartment complex, though Kentucky State Police retained primary jurisdiction over that homicide investigation.
What the Charges Could Mean Under Kentucky Law
The fleeing or evading charge alone carries serious weight under Kentucky's 2024 Safer Kentucky Act. First-degree fleeing or evading police is now a Class C felony carrying 5 to 10 years in prison, with defendants required to serve at least 50 percent of their sentence without eligibility for probation or diversion, according to the Fleenor Law Firm. The 2024 legislation elevated fleeing charges statewide from Class D to Class C felonies, per that account.
The robbery charge carries even steeper exposure. First-degree robbery in Kentucky is a Class B felony carrying 10 to 20 years in prison and is designated a violent offense requiring at least 85 percent of the sentence be served before parole eligibility, according to the Baldani Law Group. The charge applies when a suspect uses or threatens physical force while armed with a deadly weapon, per that source.
Fleeing and evading cases have risen, and young drivers have drawn concern. The pursuit ended after deputies used a PIT maneuver.
Second Gunman Arrested
The second suspect from the Jan Drive robbery, identified as 20-year-old Jahtavius Larkin, was arrested the evening of September 10 after a search warrant was executed in the 1400 block of Bethel Street, according to Christian County Now.
