Graves County motorcycle chase ends with arrest of Tennessee man

Numerous calls to 911 about a motorcycle traveling in the wrong direction on I-69 led to a multi-county motorcycle pursuit and the arrest of a Tennessee man Saturday night.

The Graves County Sheriff's Office said a motorcycle was reported traveling north in the southbound lanes of I-69 near the 25-mile marker.
 
Near the 30-mile marker, the motorcycle driver failed to yield to the deputies and continued north at a high rate of speed. 

As the pursuit entered Marshall County, the operator made a U-turn and continued to flee from deputies, now traveling the correct direction in the correct lanes. The pursuit continued southbound on I-69 until the motorcycle ran out of fuel near the 30-mile marker.

The operator, 49-year-old Donald R. Simmons, Jr. of Tiptonville, Tennessee, was arrested.

Simmons was taken to the Graves County Restricted Custody Center and later transferred to an out-of-county jail.  His charges included eight counts of wanton endangerment, fleeing/evading police, DUI with an aggravating circumstance, and speeding 26 mph or more over the posted limit.