Wanted East Prairie man charged under new felony classification

Avoiding police at speeds topping 100 mph earned an East Prairie, Mo., man the distinction of being the first person to be charged in Cape Girardeau County with a new class D felony for resisting arrest by fleeing.

Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle filed two felonies Monday afternoon against Terry Lee Mayabb, 45, who allegedly fled law enforcement officers Saturday in a manner that put others at risk of serious physical injury or death and possessed ephedrine with an intent to manufacture methamphetamine.

Mayabb managed to evade capture, but his bond has been set at $100,000. He allegedly violated a new Missouri statute that makes fleeing police in such a manner a felony.

The suspect was sought by Cape Girardeau police after they were contacted by Wal-Mart personnel who reported two men purchasing an excessive amount of cold pills containing ephedrine. After exiting and returning to make a second purchase, the men left the store and drove west on Route K in a white Ford Taurus.

High-speed chase

Police attempted to stop the car, but the driver accelerated at a high rate of speed. The suspects passed several vehicles on the road's shoulder, twice in excess of 100 mph, and failed to signal or stop at an intersection with Highway 25.

The suspects turned onto County Road 228 and then south on County Road 227 before heading into a wooded valley, where police found the car locked and abandoned.

A search of the car turned up multiple items used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine, including hundreds of cold pills, a gallon of Liquid Fire and a small propane cylinder of anhydrous ammonia.

A booking photo of Terry Lee Mayabb from the Mississippi County Sheriff's Department was compared with video surveillance tapes from Wal-Mart, showing he was a positive match for one of the suspects and the driver of the car, which police said is owned by his mother.

The second suspect was described as being in his early 20s, wearing a light red, button-up, short-sleeve shirt, blue jean shorts and having blond hair.