WMSK News now has the details of a breaking story reported at Noon today regarding the Union County Sheriff’s Office involvement in a high speed chase with an alleged robbery suspect who fled from Shawneetown, IL. through Union County and into Webster County before crashing his vehicle near Poole.
Union County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Thomas tells me around 10:45 a.m. Tuesday Southern Illinois law enforcement sent out an attempt to locate on a silver or gold Ford Fusion operated by a white male and possibly headed in the direction of Union County. He says the subject, later identified as 32 year old Marcus Householder of Reed, KY., was a suspect in a bank robbery that just occurred in Shawneetown, IL.
According to Deputy Thomas, he located the vehicle on KY 56 West headed eastbound and when he tried to stop it the driver sped off and a pursuit ensued. The suspect sped through Morganfield at speeds in excess of 70 mph and endangered the lives of several people when he flew through the intersection of 56 West and 60 West and then again at 56 East and the Bypass, ignoring the red light at both and nearly hitting several vehicles. Deputy Thomas and Morganfield Assistant Police Chief Chris Toman pursued the suspect to the Webster County line on 56 East where they were joined by Sheriff Mickey Arnold and Police Chief Craig Bolds.
Deputy Thomas says the suspect then turned northbound onto Alternate 41, nearing the town of Poole, and reached speeds in excess of 120 mph. Just at the city limits, he says the suspect lost control of the vehicle, exited the roadway and hit a ditch causing the vehicle to become airborne and slam against the side of a gasoline tanker in the Country Mark lot on Alternate 41.
According to Deputy Thomas, Householder was airlifted from the scene of the crash to an undisclosed hospital for treatment of injuries.
Deputy Thomas indicates Householder will face charges of bank robbery in southern Illinois, and the local sheriff’s office will continue their investigation and will be charging him with first degree fleeing/evading police and first degree wanton endangerment.
If anyone feels they were directly endangered by the actions of this suspect during the pursuit, Deputy Thomas encourages you to contact the local sheriff’s office or Union County Dispatch and provide him a statement in order to bring justice that Householder deserves.
(Images: Union Co. Sheriff’s Office)