De Soto Police are seeking charges against a 52-year-old De Soto man who allegedly was driving a car that left the roadway early Thursday morning (March 17), hit a gate at the Auto Plaza Ford dealership in De Soto and damaged several vehicles there.
“This person was responsible for the vehicle, and we believe he was driving it when it crossed the grass and hit the gate that damaged five vehicles,” De Soto Police Chief Rick Draper said.
De Soto Police believe the car, a 2001 Ford Escort ZX2, was on loan for a test drive from a Bonne Terre car dealership for a couple of days, he said.
The Escort was traveling north on Hwy. 21 at about 2:30 a.m. when it left the roadway, crashed through a gate on the dealership lot at 12836 Hwy. 21, and then left the scene, Draper said.
A piece of the car with the vehicle identification number was left behind, and police used it to identify a suspect.
Deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office located the Escort at a residence on Hwy. 21 just outside the city limits.
“A detective with our agency responded and the vehicle was processed and secured,” Draper said. “The person responsible for the vehicle has been interviewed as well as the car dealership the vehicle came from. Charges will be sought against the individual.”
The name of the suspect will not be released unless he is formerly charged.
An estimate for damage to the vehicles on Auto Plaza’s lot has not been determined, Draper said.
“It is our understanding that no one was injured in the accident,” he reported.