Tennessee: Trooper suffers minor injuries, at least 15 vehicles struck during high-speed chase in Chattanooga between police and rape suspect

A police chase involving Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers and Chattanooga Police ended when the suspect's vehicle crashed on I-75 north at the East Brainerd Road exit.

Chattanooga Police said to expect delays on I-75 in either direction due to "suspect-caused wrecks." Traffic on I-75 north and I-24 east appeared to be backed up for miles just after 5 p.m., and traffic on Brainerd Road and Lee Highway was also heavy.

At least 15 vehicles were struck during the chase including patrol cars and civilians' vehicles before the suspect, 20-year-old Cordarius Caldwell, was arrested, according to a press release from the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Trooper Calvin Naipo, whose car was hit during the chase, suffered minor injuries. Naipo was taken to an emergency room for evaluation, according to the release.

The chase, that began around mile marker 171, came to an end past the I-24 and I-75 split when a trooper rammed the suspect's vehicle causing it to crash.

A Times Free Press photographer on scene said the suspect's Chevrolet Impala was spun around backward. Two police vehicles appeared to have also been involved in the crash. The two left lanes of I-75 north at the East Brainerd Road exit were blocked, and the scene was surrounded with police tape as investigators examined the wreckage.

"After a lengthy, dangerous pursuit, THP Chattanooga arrest[ed] rape suspect Cordarius Caldwell in Chattanooga. Caldwell was wanted by Nashville PD," the Tennessee Highway Patrol said in a short statement on Twitter.

The Tennessean reported that Caldwell, 20, was wanted on charges of rape and false imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 20-year-old woman at gunpoint early Wednesday morning on Cherry Street in Nashville.

Nashville police attempted to arrest Caldwell, but he jumped out of a window, made it to a gas station and stole an Impala that he then drove to Chattanooga.

An alert from the Tennessee Department of Transportation reported that multiple vehicles crashed at mile marker 2 on I-75 north at 4:16 p.m., but those were cleared by 4:57 p.m.

The crash involving Caldwell's car at mile marker 3 on I-75 north was reported at 4:20 p.m. and is estimated to be cleared by 6 p.m.