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PIKEVILLE — A Florida man is behind bars, after allegedly leading police on an eight-mile chase.

Kentucky State Police received a report of a suspected drunk driver Thursday evening. Trooper Jamie Rose located the vehicle that was the subject of the complaint and, after some observation, turned on his lights and stopped the vehicle.

But as Rose approached the vehicle, the driver pulled away and began what would become an eight-mile chase north along U.S. 23.

Sgt. Chris Hollon and Det. Jimmy Anderson also responded to the area to assist in traffic control. As the driver approached Hollon and Anderson, he lost control of his vehicle, crashing in the ditch along the northbound lane.

Four people who were in the vehicle at the time of the chase all exited and fled the scene on foot. They were later located in the area, and police arrested 30-year-old Gary Fletcher, who they determined had been driving during the chase. Fletcher was listed by KSP as being from Jacksonville, Fla., but Pike County Detention Center records list him as being from Elizabethton, Tenn.

Fletcher was taken to Pikeville Medical Center for treatment of injuries received in the wreck. He was later released to authorities and taken to jail, where he was booked shortly after midnight.

Fletcher is charged with first-degree fleeing or evading police, reckless driving, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol, resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of a minor, disregarding a traffic control device, failure to maintain insurance, no registration receipt and failure to wear seatbelts. He is being held in the Pike County Detention Center on a $5,000 bond.

Trooper Rose is continuing to investigate the incident.