A police chase led to the arrest of a man with several active warrants for his arrest in Shelby County. Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers recognized the man Tuesday morning by his maroon Chevrolet.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s news release, Daremiah Lajai Gibson, 30, of Wright City, Mo. did not pull over when troopers attempted to stop his vehicle, and a pursuit ensued westbound on Interstate 70 near the Montgomery and Warren County line. The Missouri State Highway Patrol asked for law enforcement assistance.
Near the Montgomery City exit, troopers observed a small child in the vehicle and the pursuit was terminated. According to the news release, a Missouri State Highway Patrol aircraft in the area continued visual contact with the vehicle as it continued westbound on I-70.
The vehicle stopped and an adult female and small child exited. Troopers made contact with the exiting subjects while other troopers continued to follow the vehicle westbound, according to the news release.
Troopers attempted to stop the vehicle again, but another pursuit ensued, continuing westbound on I-70. According to the Columbia Police Department’s news release, Columbia police officers assisted in the pursuit by stationing vehicles at the exit ramps along I-70 westbound. The vehicle took the Lake of the Woods exit and turned onto several outer roads. Officers attempted to use spike strips twice but were unsuccessful.
“Spike strips are otherwise known as Stop Sticks,” Officer Latisha Stroer said. “They have a hard outer plastic container with spikes inside that only when a tire goes over the hard outer plastic container do the spikes come out of the shell. when a vehicle goes over the stop sticks, it deflates the tires. An officer has to throw the stop stick out in front of the car they are trying to stop and once the car drives over the spike strips then the officer has to pull the spike strips/stop sticks out of the way of oncoming traffic.”
Columbia police officers received information from the suspect’s estranged wife, who worked at the Delmar Cobble State School. She received several phone calls from the suspect, but he did not make any threats. Columbia police asked Delmar Cobble State School and the Columbia Public School system to lock down schools in the area for precautionary reasons. The Columbia Public Schools and Delmar Cobble School lifted lockdown at 11:33 a.m. according to the Columbia Police Department’s news release.
The driver got onto U.S. Highway 63, where it continued northbound. The Missouri State Highway Patrol aircraft continued to follow the vehicle northbound into Randolph, Macon and Shelby counties.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s news release, the vehicle traveled onto county roads in Shelby County until it ran out of gas on County Road 315 near Missouri Route MM. The aircraft pilot advised troopers of the vehicle’s location.
Gibson was taken into custody at 12:10 p.m. for a felony probation and parole warrant, a Warren County felony warrant for fraud, a Lincoln County felony warrant for bad checks, and a Franklin County warrant for driving while revoked. Various traffic charges are pending. Gibson is being held at the Shelby County Jail.
According to the Columbia Police Department’s news release, the suspect eluded Missouri State Highway Patrol Officers two weeks ago in a vehicle pursuit.
