Adam M. Easter, 35, was the man who died Friday (Aug. 24) after leading police on a chase along I-55 from Herculaneum north to Arnold and back south to Festus, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported Saturday afternoon (Aug. 25).
Easter’s last known address was in Festus, the report said.
He reportedly shot at police during the pursuit and after it ended when he stopped the SUV he was driving inside a garage in the 1100 block of Alexander Drive in Festus.
“The suspect exited the vehicle and again refused commands from the addressing officers,” the report said. “Early indications are that the suspect fired at officers prior to them returning fire.”
No officers were shot or seriously hurt during the incident, authorities reported.
It’s unclear if Easter shot himself or was struck by bullets fired by law enforcement officers. However, the Sheriff’s Office characterized the incident as an “officer-involved shooting” when identifying Easter as the shooting victim.
He was “deceased at the scene,” the report said.
“All officers will be on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation,” the report went on to say.
The incident began Friday afternoon, when Easter was driving a black Chevrolet Equinox, and a police officer pulled him over near the Herculaneum exit to I-55. While the officer tried to get Easter out of the vehicle, he allegedly drove off, dragging the officer for a distance.
Another man was inside the SUV that Easter was driving and during the pursuit, the passenger was let out along I-55 near Hwy. M and was taken into custody, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
“He may be facing charges from Herculaneum unrelated to this (case),” Capt. Gary Higginbotham said.
After the pursuit went north on I-55 to Hwy. 141 and back on southbound I-55, Easter got off on Hwy. Z in Pevely and eventually ended up in the house on Alexander Drive in the Alexander Heights subdivision in Festus, Higginbotham said.
“He was firing at law enforcement,” Higginbotham said. “He fired numerous shots at police vehicles during the pursuit.”
Higginbotham said that while no officers were shot, “there were police cars hit.”
He said no Sheriff’s Office vehicles were struck by bullets, but other law enforcement vehicles were.
Two bullets from the incident struck the home of Leader publisher Pam LaPlant, who lives near where the pursuit ended. No one was home at the time.
Leader editor-reporter Steve Taylor, who also lives near where Easter died, was at home for lunch when the pursuit ended in his subdivision and could not leave his house for nearly two hours while police vehicles had the street blocked off.
A Dunklin R-5 School District spokesman said law enforcement told school officials that Easter is not the same man suspected of recently trying to entice area children in Herculaneum.