By Eason Franklin
The Lowndes Signal

A Montgomery police officer and another man have been arrested for attempting to elude police in a high speed chase.

The chase started in Evergreen and approached dangerous speeds in Greenville before deputies arrested the two men at a gas station on Interstate 65.

Mark Kyle McKenzie, 21, of Deatsville and Randall Black Copeland, 22, of Mobile were arrested by Lowndes County sheriff’s deputies. McKenzie is employed with the Montgomery Police Department, according to Lowndes County Sheriff Chip Williams.

The two men were driving motorcycles in excess of 130 miles per hour, said Sgt. Tom Birtley.

A call was placed on police radios after the pursuit began around the Evergreen area, according to Birtley.

A Greenville officer in pursuit reported the two motorcyclists were weaving in and out of traffic on I-65 at speeds of 115 miles per hour before breaking off the chase at Lowndes County.

“Deputy Cox and I were sitting at the Ft. Deposit exit when we noticed the two of them getting gas,” said Birtley

Birtley said the men took off again heading toward the Montgomery area after they spotted sheriff‘s deputies.

Copeland and McKenzie were arrested at the Marathon gas station near mile marker 151 after they ran out of gas.

The two will be charged with reckless endangerment, reckless driving and attempting to elude police by the LCSO. Greenville police are expected to do the same, according to Birtley.

Captain Keith Barnett of the Montgomery Police Department did not name McKenzie as one of the men arrested, but stated that one of the department’s off duty officers was involved in an incident in Lowndes County and that the department’s internal affairs division will be looking into the incident.