Jacob Duff, 24, of Fredericktown, who was killed March 22 in a two-vehicle accident on Hwy. 61-67 north of Jungermann Road south of Arnold, was fleeing from Arnold Police just prior to the crash, Detective Lt. James Jones said.
At 6:22 p.m. that day, an Arnold Police officer responded to a call about a “careless and imprudent” driver and tried to pull over Duff after spotting him driving south in the 1000 block of Jeffco. However, Duff failed to yield, so Arnold Police chased him on Jeffco until the end of the city limits, which is near Telegraph Road, Jones said.
Shortly thereafter, Duff, driving a 1997 Toyota Camry “at an excessive speed,” lost control of the car, which began to skid, spun clockwise and crossed the center line in front of a northbound pickup, and the front of the pickup struck the left side of the car, the report said.
Kurt D. Stevenson, 49, of Imperial was driving the pickup, a 1992 Chevrolet 1500.
Duff was pronounced dead at the scene by Rock Township Ambulance personnel, and Stevenson was taken by Rock Township Ambulance to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in south St. Louis County, where he was treated and released, a hospital spokesman said.
Both Duff and Stevenson were wearing seat belts, the patrol reported.
The car and the pickup were totaled, the report said.