St. Louis man leads police on one-hour chase in region

A St. Louis-area man led law-enforcement agencies from Ste. Genevieve and Perry counties on a car chase that lasted more than an hour Monday, police said.

Ste. Genevieve County sheriff’s deputies arrested Joseph Michael Boyle, 29, of St. Louis on a probation and parole warrant Monday after abandoning his vehicle near a Taco Bell along Interstate 55 in Perryville. Boyle was on supervised probation for theft of a credit card from Dec. 30 in Sullivan, Missouri.

Ste. Genevieve sheriff’s Maj. Jason Schott said Boyle will face multiple charges from the chase when the probable-cause statement and warrant are processed by the Ste. Genevieve County prosecuting attorney’s office.

A Ste. Genevieve County deputy encountered Boyle and a female passenger in his vehicle about 7:30 p.m. on Jackson School Road and Route Y near a bridge in that area, Schott said. People are known to stop by the bridge for illegal activity, Schott said. The deputy turned on his lights, and Boyle drove from the scene, Schott said.

Deputies did not know Boyle had an active warrant until they received a call from the passenger’s mother, Schott said. They learned the female passenger was four months’ pregnant and had told Schott to stop, Schott said.

Boyle drove east on Route Y, south on U.S. 61, then headed south on I-55 into Perry County, Schott said. Boyle drove on several county roads, seemingly making his way to the Chester Bridge to drive into Illinois, Schott said.

Ste. Genevieve and Perry County deputies laid spike strips on the roadway in several places, including at the bridge, but Boyle maneuvered past them, Schott said.

“The driver of the vehicle knew what he was doing,” Schott said.

Boyle changed course again, driving south on I-55 into Cape Girardeau County before turning around at mile marker 109, Schott said.

Boyle left the highway at Perryville, but his vehicle stopped, possibly in muddy grass, near Taco Bell, Schott said. Deputies apprehended Boyle after he fled on foot to the area of Burger King and Ponderosa restaurants, Schott said.

Ste. Genevieve police, Perryville police and the Missouri State Highway Patrol assisted in the chase, Schott said.

“Because of the weather, commuter traffic was very low,” Schott said. “That helped out immensely.”

bkleine@semissourian.com

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