Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Press Release:

          On the evening of 8-14-17 at approximately 6:15 PM, a citizen stopped at a gas station in Sullivan and left their vehicle, a 2002 Ford Escape, running and unlocked in the parking lot while they went into the store. Upon exiting the store, the citizen noticed a white male that they did not recognize getting into their vehicle. As the citizen began running towards their vehicle the white male suspect got into the victim's vehicle and quickly drove off . The suspect left the gas station parking lot and struck another vehicle on the I-44 overpass before traveling east on I-44. The victim contacted Sullivan Police immediately to report the incident. Sullivan Police then contacted the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and requested assistance from Deputies to locate and stop the stolen vehicle. The occupants of the vehicle that had been struck on the overpass were not injured and also contacted 911 as they began following the stolen vehicle east on I-44.
 
          Minutes later, Deputies observed the stolen vehicle still traveling east on I-44 in St. Clair. Before Deputies were able to catch up to the stolen vehicle, the suspect exited the Interstate at the 242 overpass, lost control of the vehicle, and struck an embankment which disabled the vehicle. As Deputies arrived at the crash site, they observed the white male suspect running into a heavily wooded area east of St. Clair. Deputies checked the wooded area on foot with the assistance of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, St. Clair Police, and a helicopter however the suspect remains at large. Efforts to identify and apprehend the suspect are being conducted by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and Sullivan Police Department.
 
 
Steve Pelton
Franklin County Sheriff