Mississippi County deputy charged in connection with police chase

BUNCOMBE, Ill. -- A Mississippi County, Missouri, deputy is facing charges in connection to a police chase into Illinois in October 2021.

On Thursday, the Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Zone 7, released their findings after investigating an officer-involved shooting involving officers from Mississippi County in October 2021.

After their findings, Capt. Barry Morgan of the Mississippi County Sheriff's Office was charged with official misconduct and battery relating to the arrest of the suspect. Morgan turned himself into the Alexander County Sheriff's Department on Thursday and was released after posting a $30,000/10% bond.

Initial reports from law enforcement were that Charleston Department of Public Safety received information around 2:30 p.m. Oct. 28, 2021, there may be a stolen vehicle on the parking lot of the Flying J Truck Stop. The information received also indicated that the occupants were armed.

A DPS officer located the suspect vehicle and determined it was indeed stolen from the state of Illinois, according to Charleston DPS Director Robert Hearnes in October. The two male occupants were taken into custody, and one of them was placed in a patrol vehicle of the sheriff's department; the other in a Charleston DPS patrol vehicle.

The suspect vehicle was searched and a stolen firearm, stolen checks and approximately 12 grams of methamphetamine were located, Hearnes said.

"During this time, the male suspect in the sheriff's department vehicle was able to get out of his handcuffs and stole the patrol vehicle," Hearnes said at the time. "He fled the parking lot of Flying J. In doing so, he almost hit three law enforcement officers. He then fled eastbound on US 60."

According to the ISP, at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 28, 2021, multiple agencies from Illinois and the Mississippi County Sheriff's Office were involved in a vehicle pursuit of a stolen Mississippi County Sheriff's Office patrol truck. The truck had been stolen by a suspect who had been arrested by Mississippi County deputies while in Missouri.

During the pursuit, a deputy from the Mississippi County Sheriff's Office and a deputy from the Johnson County, Illinois, Sheriff's Office, discharged their firearms. At the conclusion of the pursuit on Allen Road, just west of Buncombe, the suspect was taken into custody and was not injured as a result of the officer involved shooting.

Two suspects were arrested following the pursuit. Matthew L. Nelson, 40, of Buncombe was charged with three counts of first degree assault on a law enforcement officer; three counts of armed criminal action; escape from custody; two counts of stealing a motor vehicle; unlawful possession of a firearm; unlawful use of a firearm; stealing a firearm; possession of methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia; resisting arrest; and property damage.

William R. Taylor, 43, of Vienna, Illinois, was charged with possession of methamphetamine, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, stealing a motor vehicle, stealing a firearm and fraudulent Use of a credit device.

The case was then investigated by the ISP and then reviewed by the Illinois Appellate Prosecutor's Office before charges were filed against Morgan on Thursday. The ISP said no further information will be released at this time.