Suspect Steals Running Vehicle, Crashes In St. Clair

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and Sullivan police are searching for a man who is believed to have stolen a running vehicle from a gas station in Sullivan, crashed it in St. Clair and took off running.

Franklin County Sheriff Steve Pelton said on Aug. 14, a citizen stopped at the station and left a 2002 Ford Escape running and unlocked while they went into the store. Upon exiting, they noticed a man they did not recognize get into the vehicle and drive off. The suspect left and struck another vehicle on the Interstate 44 overpass before heading east.

The victim contacted Sullivan police. Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched for assistance to locate and stop the stolen vehicle.

Deputies observed the stolen vehicle in St. Clair. Before deputies were able to catch up, the suspect exited the interstate at the 242 overpass, lost control and struck an embankment. Deputies arrived at the crash site and the suspect began running into a heavily wooded area east of St. Clair.

Deputies, along with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and a helicopter, checked the area, but the suspect remains at-large.

The occupants of the vehicle that was struck in Sullivan were not injured.