Cars in fatal chase topped 100 mph

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- The driver of a car that crashed Sept. 23, killing himself and a passenger after a half-hour police chase, allegedly drove at speeds over 100 mph while making obscene hand gestures at the pursuing officer and tossing beverage cans from the vehicle.

The approximately 28-mile pursuit was prompted by the 1995 Oldsmobile failing to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Highway 77 and Yoakum Street in Chaffee, according to a Chaffee police incident report obtained by the Southeast Missourian through a Sunshine Law request.

The car later crashed shortly before midnight off Route U in southwest Cape Girardeau County.

Found dead at the scene were Debra P. Johnson, 46, of Delta, and Garrett K. Williams, 19, of Allenville.

Two other passengers were critically injured.

Daniel L. Moore, 20, of Chaffee remains at Saint Francis Medical Center on life support in critical condition, according to his uncle, Roger Moore.

Betina M. Ott, 23, of Chaffee was taken to a St. Louis-area hospital. Her condition is not known.

Following the accident, Chaffee police chief Martin Keys placed officer Jim Backfisch on administrative leave while the investigation was underway. The leave is not voluntary but is not punishment, Keys said. He said placing an officer on administrative leave is standard procedure during such an investigation.

The chase began at 11:11 p.m. when Backfisch saw the Oldsmobile pass through the stop sign at a high rate of speed with sparks flying from the vehicle's rear, according to the incident report.

The officer turned on his emergency lights and siren, but the car sped away at speeds up to 110 mph, the report stated.

The Oldsmobile crossed the center line of County Road 264, according to Backfisch's report, and was "primarily driven in the center of the roadway."

Backfisch was able to read the license plate number and learned the vehicle had an expired registration belonging to Brittany Ott of Chaffee.

When the road turned to gravel, Backfisch slowed to 55 to 60 mph before picking back up to about 80 to 95 mph on County Road 265, according to the report.

At 11:19 p.m., eight minutes after the pursuit began, Keys was en route to assist and advised Backfisch to proceed "with caution and only as long as he feels safe to continue," the report stated.

The driver, Williams, flashed Backfisch an obscene hand gesture and threw out what the officer believed to be beer cans from the car, the report said.

Backfisch used his public announcement system to tell the driver to pull over, but Williams continued driving, according to the report. Throughout the chase, the Oldsmobile ran at least five stop signs.

As the car turned onto Route U at speeds of 70 mph, the Chaffee dispatcher told Backfisch backup officers were approaching from the opposite direction. But about two-thirds of a mile down the road Backfisch lost sight of the car due to a hill. After clearing the crest of the hill, he saw a flash of fire off the roadway where the vehicle had crashed, tipping onto its passenger side, the report stated.

The officer used a fire extinguisher to put out some of the flames, the report said, and no one from inside the car responded to his calls.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the sheriff's departments for Cape Girardeau and Scott counties were notified of the pursuit at 11:15 p.m., according to the Chaffee report.

Cape Girardeau County Lt. David James said it is his department's policy to allow other jurisdictions entering the county to handle their own pursuit. Cape Girardeau County only gets involved in such pursuits in emergency situations, he said.

According to Missouri state statutes, a law officer has the power pursue traffic offenders into jurisdictions provided they do not lose contact with the person they're pursuing.

Other statutes point to powers in emergency situations that allow an officer to take action outside their jurisdiction. By responding to such situations, the officer needs a "reasonable belief" that a crime has or is about to be committed involving injury or the threat of injury and an officer's response is "reasonably necessary to prevent or end such emergency situation."

Backfisch stated in the incident report that he was attempting to stop the vehicle and get it off the roadway to prevent injuries to other drivers. There is no further mention of other drivers in the report.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating the crash, and the Scott County Sheriff's Department is investigating the chase. Updates on those investigations were not immediately available Tuesday night. Keys declined to comment on either investigation.

kmorrison@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127

TIMELINE:

Sept. 23

11:11 p.m.: The 1995 Oldsmobile speeds through a stop sign at the intersection of Highway 77 and Yoakum Street. Chaffee police officer Jim Backfisch attempts to pull the vehicle over, but it does not comply.

11:15 p.m.: While on County Road 264, Backfisch identifies the car's license plate. Missouri State Highway Patrol and Cape Girardeau and Scott counties' sheriff's departments are notified of the pursuit.

11:19 p.m.: Chief Martin Keys told of pursuit and attempts to assist. Backfisch told to proceed with "caution and only as long as he feels safe to continue."

11:25 p.m.: Speeds drop from 100 mph to 30 mph on a graveled County Road 261.

11:28 p.m.: Beverage cans are reported to be thrown from the car.

11:31 p.m.: An obscene hand gesture is flashed at the officer.

11:36 p.m.: Beverage cans again thrown from vehicle.

11:39 p.m.: Oldsmobile seen turning left on to Route U.

11:41 p.m.: Dispatcher told the vehicle rolled over and is on fire. Emergency personnel are told to respond.

SOURCE: Chaffee Police Department