An Otto man is facing felony fleeing charges after leading Franklin Police officers on an early morning chase and then driving into the Franklin Chamber of Commerce building.
According to FPD Chief Devin Holland, on Friday, June 23, at 4:01 a.m., officers responded to First Bank at the Holly Springs Shopping Center “in reference to a male subject that was hitting the ATM with a helmet.”
“As one of the officers arrived at that location, they observed a pick-up truck abruptly leave the parking lot and travel onto U.S. 441 in a very erratic and reckless manner,” Holland stated. “The officer activated blue lights and siren, then a vehicle pursuit ensued which came to an end in the parking lot of the Franklin Chamber of Commerce.”
Holland said the man put the truck into reverse, backing into the front entrance of the chamber building. Kurt Erwin Boitin, 55, of Otto, was arrested without further incident by FPD and with assistance from the Macon County Sheriff’s Office.
Holland said the front and rear entrances of the bank were damaged from vehicle collisions.
Boitin is charged with felony flee to elude, felony malicious conduct by prisoner, defacing public building, and two counts of injury to real property and is being held under a $12,000 secured bond. Holland thanked the MCSO for their assistance.
During a State of Health event hours later at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Holland spoke of the incident and how law enforcement and health care agencies had been monitoring what he called Boitin’s erratic social media activity that week and debated issuing him an involuntary commit. Holland said the decision to issue an IVC for Boitin was made late Thursday, not long before Friday morning’s incident.
Holland used the incident to illustrate the ongoing mental health issues facing the citizens of Macon County at the forum.