AUTHORITIES APPREHEND MAN AFTER HIGH-SPEED CHASE

BENTON -- A Memphis, Tenn., man was apprehended by Scott County deputies and Miner police officers Saturday afternoon, following a high-speed chase on Interstate 55.

The chase, at speeds of more than 100 mph, came after a deputy became suspicious of the way a man was acting at MO's Truck Stop near the Benton exit.

Arrested was Curtis N. Dotson, 28, who is being held in the Scott County Jail on $15,000 bond.

He is charged with receiving stolen property, assault, resisting arrest and several traffic offenses that include speeding and driving while his license was suspended.

He will be arraigned Tuesday before Scott County Associate Circuit Judge David Mann.

Scott County Sheriff Bill Ferrell, who was at the scene of the arrest, said Deputy Todd Irwin may have foiled a burglary attempt at the truck stop.

At 2:50 p.m. Saturday, Irwin saw a person acting suspicious and attempted to stop the 1990 Buick Regal.

But Dotson left the area at a high rate of speed, traveling south on I-55.

The Miner Police Department was asked to assist, but before the vehicle approached the roadblock, Dotson ran through the median and began traveling north on the interstate.

After several miles, he ran into a ditch and fled from the vehicle, before being apprehended by Irwin and another deputy and the two Miner police officers.

The vehicle was stolen from East St. Louis, Ill., Friday morning.

Inside the car, officers found an empty pillow case and a BB gun that looked like a .45 handgun.

"The quick action of Deputy Irwin and the assistance of the Miner officers in getting this situation under control with no injuries is commendable," Ferrell said.