Full Notification

One male and one female in custody after leading
Greene County Sheriff's Deputies on pursuit;
vehicle strikes utility pole, causing damage and power outages

On Tuesday, March 8, 2016, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Greene County Sheriff's Deputies responded to the Lighthouse Church located in the 5200 block of North Farm Road 151 for a possible burglary in progress. A witness provided a suspect vehicle description for a brown Chevrolet truck as well as a description of items which were stolen; Deputies located the vehicle and observed the stolen property in the truck bed before attempting to initiate a traffic stop.

The driver of the truck led Greene County Sheriff's Deputies on a brief pursuit through northern Springfield before striking a wooden utility pole near Commercial Street and Grant Avenue. The male driver and female passenger fled on foot and both were quickly apprehended by Deputies; the male was taken into custody while attempting to steal another vehicle south of the location.

Due to damage from the collision, the truck caught on fire and was extinguished by the Springfield Fire Department. The 36-year old male suspect was transported to the Greene County Jail; the 22-year old female passenger was transported to a local hospital for further medical attention. No other vehicles or persons were injured during the incident; however, some vehicles sustained damage from the downed utility pole and power lines.

"It starts with a concerned citizen calling in suspicious activity or behavior. Our Deputies were able to locate and apprehend these individuals from the information given by that citizen," states Sheriff Jim Arnott. "Together, we can make Greene County a safer community." The investigation is on-going and charges will be submitted to the Greene County Prosecuting Attorney's Office for further review.

**A charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.**