2 Cherokee County men arrested after icy police chase ends in morning crash

Brandon Hembree, left; Robert Finch, right.
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Posted: 12/26/2012

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Okla. - Tahlequah police have arrested two men who led authorities on a chase early Wednesday morning before crashing into a tree.

Brandon Hembree, 24, of Welling, Okla., lost control of a 2011 Hyundai Elantra south of Tahlequah when the vehicle struck ice on the roadway, according to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety.

Hembree was reportedly ejected about 35 feet from the car upon impact. He was taken to a Tahlequah hospital with head and upper body injuries in stable condition.

Hembree was not wearing a seat belt, according to the accident report.

Tahlequah native Robert Finch, also 24, was also in the car and was not injured. Authorities said an 18-year-old woman was also a passenger and suffered minor injuries.

Tahlequah police promptly arrested Hembree and Finch. According to the OKDPS, the cause of the crash was drugs and/or alcohol.

Hembree and Finch have both been convicted of violent and vehicle-related crimes in the past.