Man arrested after chase near Bernie

BERNIE, Mo. -- A Malden, Missouri, man is in custody after a high-speed police chase and crash south of Bernie on Saturday morning.

Bernie police chief Justin Allen said a Bernie policeman attempted to pull over Steven M. Kirkwood, 32, for a traffic violation just before 10 a.m. Saturday when Kirkwood tried to flee. He was chased about five miles south of Bernie on Highway 25 when he crashed his vehicle and ran from the scene to a nearby residence. Police found him hiding with an undisclosed amount of what proved to be methamphetamine.

Kirkwood was transferred to the Bernie Police Department, where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance (exempt of 35 grams or less of marijuana), resisting arrest/stop by fleeing, creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death to another person and several other traffic violations.

His bond was set at $25,000 and he remains in the Stoddard County Jail.