Maries County high-speed chase leads to Waynesville man’s arrest

Posted 8/18/21

The Maries County Sheriff’s Department arrested Steven L. Jones, 50, of Waynesville, Tuesday afternoon after a seven hour search in the Nagogami area near Route A and Route E in Maries County. …

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Maries County high-speed chase leads to Waynesville man’s arrest

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Maries County Sheriff’s deputies on Aug. 17 arrested Steven L. Jones, 50, of Waynesville, in the Nagogami area after a high-speed chase that morning, followed by a seven hour search.

According to a Probable Cause statement filed by Maries County Chief Deputy Scott John prior to Jones’ capture, Jones’ was wanted on allegations of speeding, felony driving with a revoked driver’s license, felony resisting arrest by fleeing and causing substantial risk of serious injury or death, failure to maintain financial responsibility, and felony motor vehicle tampering in the first degree.

Maries County Prosecuting Attorney Tony Skouby issued the warrants and Jones was located and arrested around 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 17 after a citizen reported seeing him walking along Route E near Route A. Deputies were able to take Jones into custody without incident.

The high-speed chase, search, and subsequent arrest of Jones began in the morning hours of Aug. 17 when a black Ford Mustang with a green stripe, reported stolen out of Iberia in July, passed John on U.S. 63. When the chief deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the car began traveling at high rates of speed, turning onto Route A and then Route E in Phelps and Maries counties. John was able to position his police cruiser to get a look at the driver during the chase, whom he later identified as Jones.

When the Mustang lost control and crashed, the driver fled on foot. Deputies processed the accident at the scene and were able to collect enough evidence, including fingerprints, to confirm the driver was Jones. They began contacting neighboring agencies and requested a previous mugshot from the Osage County Sheriff’s Department.

Jones’ picture was posted to the Office of Maries County Sheriff Chris Heitman Facebook page as wanted in connection with the chase earlier that morning. 

During the search the department’s K-9 Kimon and handler Lt. Mark Morgan was also called in from training in Cuba to help with the search.

With help from neighboring agencies in Phelps and Osage counties, as well as the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP), a perimeter was maintained and community calls continued to be answered according to Heitman.

“The suspect is wanted for questioning in numerous thefts, including vehicles and vehicle parts,” said Heitman. “Not just in our area, but in surrounding agencies as well.”

The Ford Mustang was searched and several suspected stolen items were located. Heitman said the department will try to locate the rightful owners of the property and get it returned.

Jones has a previous extensive record with active warrants for stealing in Laclede and Phelps counties as well as an active warrant from the Missouri Probation and Parole for parole violations.

“His history includes arrests, some multiple times, for stealing, forgery, DWI, driving on a revoked license, receiving stolen property, motor vehicle tampering (auto theft), assault of law enforcement in the first degree, resisting arrest, resisting arrest by fleeing and creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death,” Heitman said. “For these offenses, Jones has been incarcerated five times in the Missouri Department of Corrections.”

Jones’ most recent incarceration was November 2018, after receiving sentences of three years for resisting arrest — creating substantial risk of serious injury or death and four years for tampering with a motor vehicle — first degree. These sentences came in April of 2020 while incarcerated on other sentences. Those were three years for driving while revoked — felony, three counts of resisting arrest by fleeing — creating substantial risk  of injury or death, and four years for receiving stolen property.

“He was released in August 2020 after serving just 22 months,” Heitman said. “I must commend my staff. They did an excellent job handling this incident. They worked together to keep each other safe, the community safe and apprehended the suspect. Great work!”

 

Previous Story written Aug. 17 for the Maries County Advocate:  Maries County high-speed chase results in crash, suspect loose

An unknown suspect led Maries County Chief Deputy Scott John on a high speed chase Tuesday morning near Nagogami in Maries County, 12 miles northwest of Rolla, before crashing and fleeing on foot.

John pursued the suspect, who was driving a Ford Mustang with a green stripe, on Route 63, to Route A, and then to Route E in Phelps and Maries counties. The suspect then crashed and fled on foot. 

The Phelps County Sheriff and Missouri State Highway Patrol assisted in the search for the suspect. The Maries County K-9 unit was also called in, but later lost the scent of the suspect.

“We called in our K-9 unit — the dog was doing training in Cuba and was already tired. His trainer is also only a month out from a heart attack and isn’t full speed yet,” John said. “I yelled out ‘Maries County Sheriff’s Department with a K-9’ to make sure the subject knew we had a dog deployed and I think it distracted the animal. We did find (the suspect’s) sunglasses in the woods. We were on him.”

The Ford Mustang allegedly matches the description of a vehicle stolen near Iberia. It was searched and several suspected stolen items were located.

“The suspect is wanted for questioning in numerous thefts, including vehicles and vehicle parts,” said Maries County Sheriff Chris Heitman. “Not just in our area, but in surrounding agencies as well.”

Heitman said the department will try to locate the rightful owners of the property and get it returned. They also located evidence at the scene, including fingerprints.

A picture of the suspect was posted on the Office of Maries County Sheriff Chris Heitman Facebook page and by 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 17, the sheriff’s office had several phone calls.

“We believe we have the suspect identified,” Heitman said.

The name of the suspect was not identified at deadline at 6 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon.