A suspect fleeing from police and driving close to 100 mph crashed on I-55 south of Pevely on Monday night (Sept. 25), authorities reported.
The suspect, a 25-year-old St. Louis man, was seriously hurt, and the southbound lanes on the interstate were closed for about an hour following the accident, authorities said.
At about 8:10 p.m., the man, driving a 1998 Ford Taurus south on I-55 and fleeing from a Pevely Police officer, turned off his headlights and “accelerated to an extremely high rate of speed,” the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported.
The Taurus skidded, spun clockwise and ran off the right side of the interstate south of Hwy. Z, where it the car struck a rock bluff and a highway sign, the report said.
Pevely Police Capt. Tony Moutray said the pursuit began when an officer reportedly saw the suspect speeding away from the Pevely Pointe Apartments on Pevely Pointe Drive off of Weier Road.
“When our officer went to stop him for the traffic violation, he made a right on Weier, drove northbound to east on Z to southbound on I-55. Once he got on the (interstate), the suspect drove at speeds up to 100 miles per hour and he turned his headlights off,” Moutray said. “When (the officer) saw the lights go off, he backed off because of safety conditions.”
Moutray said the officer continued southbound at a slower rate, and while a crest in the highway prevented the officer from seeing the crash firsthand, he soon came upon it.
“The driver did not eject. The driver climbed out of his car. We think he was trying to flee the scene (but could not because of his injuries),” Moutray said. “We released him at the scene because he needed to be taken to the hospital.”
The suspect was taken by Joachim Plattin Ambulance to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in south St. Louis County, where he was treated and released, a St. Anthony’s spokesman said today (Sept. 26).
The suspect was not wearing a seat belt, the patrol reported.
The suspect already was wanted in St. Louis for probation and parole violations, Moutray said.
He said Pevely Police will seek felony traffic charges against the man since he endangered people during the pursuit.