A man driving a box truck reportedly slammed into a Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle Wednesday (Nov. 4) after he allegedly fled the scene of a disturbance at a home in the 4700 block of Tina Drive in House Springs, authorities reported.
Deputies pursued the box truck onto eastbound Hwy. 30 but ended the chase after the truck allegedly caused two accidents on the highway, which had heavy traffic at the time, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
Sheriff’s Office spokesman Grant Bissell said deputies stopped the chase near the Jefferson County-St. Louis County line as the truck traveled towards Gravois Bluffs Boulevard near the Gravois Bluffs shopping center in the St. Louis County portion of Fenton.
St. Louis County media relations officer Tracy Panus said after the truck entered St. Louis County, it hit several parked cars before stopping in the 4400 block of Pegasus Drive off Forder Road in the Oakville area. She said the driver ran from the scene and got away.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. Dallas Thomas said the agency put down spike strips on Hwy. 30 to attempt to disable the truck but was not involved in the pursuit. He did not say whether the truck went over the spikes or was disabled by the spikes.
The Sheriff’s Office was contacted at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday about the alleged disturbance on Tina Drive. Deputies attempted to talk with a man who was in a box truck at the scene, the report said.
As deputies approached the truck, the driver reportedly put it into reverse and backed up at a high rate of speed, nearly striking the deputies. The truck ran into a marked Sheriff’s Office vehicle, which was pushed across the road into a neighboring yard, causing damage to the yard, according to the report.
Bissell said the patrol vehicle was totaled, but he didn’t have an estimated value for the vehicle.
The suspect then drove the box truck away from the home and got onto Hwy. MM. Deputies located the truck on the highway near Main Street and began pursuing it. The chase went onto eastbound Hwy. 30, and two accidents occurred during the pursuit – one at Hwy. 30 and Hwy. PP and another at Hwy. 30 and Sugar Creek Road, the report said.
The Missouri Highway Patrol didn’t have information about the accident on Hwy. 30 near Hwy. PP, but it did report on the accident near Sugar Creek Road, which was a four-vehicle accident that occurred about 5:30 p.m., the report said.
In that accident, a westbound 2007 Honda Odyssey hit the back of a westbound 2008 Chevrolet Equinox, and then the Equinox hit the back of a westbound 2016 Subaru Outback, which hit the back of a westbound 2001 Toyota Versa, according to the report.
Destany A. Dillon, 19, of Cedar Hill was driving the Odyssey; a 16-year-old St. Charles man was driving the Equinox; Emily A. Sarvies, 37, of High Ridge was driving the Outback; and Christine K. Stibor, 53, of Dittmer was driving the Versa, the report said.
No injuries were reported for Dillon or Sarvies. However, Stibor was transported by North Jefferson County Ambulance to Mercy Hospital South because of a minor injury, and the teenager was transported by the Fenton Fire Protection District to SSM St. Clare Hospital in Fenton with a minor injury, according to the report.
All those involved in the accident were wearing seat belts, the patrol reported.
The Equinox and Odyssey were totaled, and the Outback and Versa had minor damage and were driven away from the scene, the report said.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the incident, and anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 636-797-5515.