Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox reports no one was injured during a high speed chase of a vehicle going the wrong way on Highway 36 on Friday afternoon.
The chase started west of Wheeling when a vehicle jumped the median and ended east of Hamilton when an unknown officer used spike strips. Deputy John Stafford was responding to a non-urgent call when he was reportedly nearly struck head-on by the vehicle that continued west in the eastbound lanes. Stafford got into the westbound lanes, activated emergency equipment, notified dispatch of the situation, and attempted to warn eastbound traffic that avoided colliding with the suspect vehicle.
Officers attempted to get into position to assist, as the suspect vehicle continued at a high rate of speed going the wrong way on Highway 36 until west of Highway 65 and Chillicothe. The vehicle jumped the median again and continued in the westbound lanes at a speed of more than 100 miles per hour.
Dispatch notified the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Caldwell County Sheriff. Stafford ended the chase west of Utica, as the driver distanced himself from the deputy and got out of direct sight.
The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office learned the Highway Patrol checked a vehicle of similar description on Highway 36 east of Hamilton going 108 miles per hour before it was stopped by the spike strips.
An alleged controlled substance or substances may have been involved and/or in the vehicle. Ambulance personnel examined the suspected driver.
The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office is collecting information on the incident and plans to seek criminal charges. The Highway Patrol and other agencies are handing the situation in DeKalb County in or near Cameron.
Cox did not release the name of the suspect because the sheriff’s office did not make a custodial arrest.
