NATCHEZ &045; A short police chase that ended in a totaled car and a trip to the hospital resulted in nearly a dozen charges for one Natchez man Thursday.

Nicholas Letcher, 26, borrowed a Mazda 626 around 10 a.m. Thursday and when he didn’t return it on time the owner notified the Natchez Police Department, Police Chief Mike Mullins said.

Officers searched for the car and found it parked outside Natchez Mall around noon. An officer watched Letcher return to the car and saw a female put clothes in the car. The officer also recognized Letcher as someone police were looking for on other charges, Mullins said.

The officer lost Letcher in traffic and caught up to him on Lower Woodville Road where he stopped him and tried to handcuff him. Mullins said Letcher slammed his car door shut and sped off.

The officer followed him to the intersection of Lower Woodville and Highland Boulevard where Letcher drove in the wrong lane and was unable to stop his car at the intersection, Mullins said.

Letcher’s car slid into an 18-wheeler that was turning. The Mazda was totaled and the driver of the commercial truck owned by GR Disposal Inc., of Natchez, suffered minor injuries. Driver Walter Floyd Jr., of Natchez, was treated and released at the hospital.

Letcher suffered a broken leg in three places and a broken arm. Mullins said he was in surgery Friday afternoon. NPD guards are watching Letcher’s hospital room.