Citizens Complain of Slow Dispatch Response to Chase

Complaints about speeding cars and motorbikes on Olney’s residential streets have intensified in recent weeks, culminating in a chaotic April 14 incident that prompted a flood of emergency calls and renewed concerns about public safety.

Shortly after 5 p.m. that day, at least five residents called 911 to report that a driver was aggressively chasing another vehicle through north-side neighborhoods where children were outside playing.

Witnesses said a white sedan pursued a black compact car at high speeds along Bloodworth, North Avenue J, and Howard Street, at times nearly striking other vehicles and jumping curbs. The chase left visible tire marks on the pavement and rattled residents who said the incident unfolded during one of the busiest times of day for neighborhood activity.

Residents, who asked not to be identified, provided the Olney Enterprise with doorbell camera footage showing portions of the chase. They said they struggled to get immediate help as the situation unfolded.

“County dispatch put me on hold,” one resident said of the county dispatch center. “There should be multiple dispatchers. If there’s multiple emergencies popping off, how do you prioritize that? You don’t.”

Olney Police later arrested Ricky Don Haynes II, 38, in connection with the incident. He was booked into the Young County Jail on suspicion of public intoxication, according to jail records.

Chief Bryan Barrett said officers caught up with Mr. Haynes about 10 minutes after he sped past doorbell cameras on West Bloodworth Street. “We got several 911 calls in the area that he was driving recklessly going fast,” Chief Barrett said. “We got the doorbell cameras from Bloodworth, Avenue J and other locations throughout town.”

By the time officers caught up with him at 5:15 p.m., he was out of the vehicle and checking his mail at his residence at 207 N. Avenue M. Residents who recognized the car directed police to Mr. Haynes’ home. He was arrested on site for public intoxication. After an investigation, he was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and reckless driving.

“He was chasing another person,” Chief Barrett said. “They were acquaintances.”

Chief Barrett said he plans to bring up the lag in the Sheriff ’s Office dispatch responding to the 911 callers and putting some on hold.

“If someone calls 911, they need something right then,” he said. “That is something I intend to bring up with the city council. I don’t like anybody to feel like they are not being served.”

“When we see something in our presence we can act right then – arrested on sight for public intoxication - the links of putting him in the car were not present. They knew it was him and it was his car,” Chief Barrett said.

The person that Mr. Haynes was chasing was not injured, Chief Barrett said. the screeching, running into curbs and prob The episode has become a flashpoint in a broader pattern of complaints from residents who say speeding vehicles — including cars and motorbikes — have become more common on neighborhood streets. Former OPD Chief Dan Birbeck waged a long war on speeding in residential neighborhoods and on loud pocketbikes, but the problem seems to be re-emerging, residents said.

Parents and homeowners said the danger is heightened in areas where children routinely play outside, particularly in the late afternoon and early evening.

The incident also highlighted gaps in local emergency response coverage. The Olney Police Department’s dispatch office is staffed weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with calls routed to the Young County Sheriff ’s Office after hours or when the city’s dispatcher is unavailable.

Residents said that the system can create delays during high-volume situations, such as last Tuesday’s chase, when multiple callers were trying to report the same unfolding emergency.

Chief Barrett cautioned Olney drivers to slow down and drive carefully in neighborhoods.

“Everybody is watching, everybody needs to be safe,” he said. “A lot of times emotions take over when things happen to people but we’ve got kids everywhere and folks walking around getting exercise and somebody could get hurt. If anybody sees anything, call us and we can intervene before it becomes an accident.”