Suspect Ran Over After Pursuit And Search In Kimberling City
June 13, 2019
Isaac Estes-Jones
One suspect in a pursuit and search was run over by a Kimberling City police vehicle while she was hiding in high vegetation on Tuesday, June 4.
A Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report indicates that Sarah R. Sanders, 29, of Hollister, was lying down in a field just north of Kimberling City, along with another suspect.
Chief Craig Alexander, of the Kimberling City Police Department, spoke with The Chronicle about this incident.
The pursuit began that morning when a 2000 Dodge Dakota entered Kimberling City and passed Chief Alexander. “They were doing about double the speed limit, and I attempted to pull them over,” Alexander said.
During the pursuit, the fleeing vehicle went over an embankment and into the parking lot of Stumpff Funeral Home. “After the truck went over the embankment, they made it back onto the highway and headed northbound to the area of Jim Linegar Lane,” said Alexander.
The Dakota went to the end of Jim Linegar Lane and onto private property where the street ends. “The vehicle when through a yard and fence and into the woods north of the lane,” said Alexander.
The suspects, Sarah R. Sanders and Jerry Wyatt, fled on foot from there into a large field.
Sergeant Aaron Hueft joined Chief Alexander in searching for the suspects. They drove their patrol vehicles through the field. “We were going about five miles per hour through the uncut field,” said Alexander. “The suspects appear to have been laying flat in the field. The grass was 4-5 feet tall. As we made our way through the field, the male eventually jumped up shouting that his girlfriend was injured,” he said.
Sanders suffered serious injuries when the patrol vehicle drove over her. She was taken to Cox South Hospital in Springfield by Mercy helicopter.
Chief Alexander said drugs were found in the vehicle after the suspects were apprehended. “The truck had two different licence plates, neither belonging to the vehicle,” he said. “We are still investigating why they fled.”
After the incident, Sergeant Hueft was sent home for the day, according to Alexander. “He was pretty shook up right after. But he is back on the job after he was cleared by us and by Highway Patrol. Dash cam video shows the vegetation was really thick and that he couldn’t see them at all,” said Alexander.
The second suspect, Jerry Lee Wyatt, 29, of St. Louis, was arrested and booked into the Stone County Jail. He is charged with resisting arrest for a felony, tampering with a motor vehicle in the first degree and possession of a controlled substance. He was held in lieu of $50,000 cash or surety bond, which has since been posted. Online court records do not show any charges against Sanders as of presstime.
Isaac Estes-Jones
One suspect in a pursuit and search was run over by a Kimberling City police vehicle while she was hiding in high vegetation on Tuesday, June 4.
A Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report indicates that Sarah R. Sanders, 29, of Hollister, was lying down in a field just north of Kimberling City, along with another suspect.
Chief Craig Alexander, of the Kimberling City Police Department, spoke with The Chronicle about this incident.
The pursuit began that morning when a 2000 Dodge Dakota entered Kimberling City and passed Chief Alexander. “They were doing about double the speed limit, and I attempted to pull them over,” Alexander said.
During the pursuit, the fleeing vehicle went over an embankment and into the parking lot of Stumpff Funeral Home. “After the truck went over the embankment, they made it back onto the highway and headed northbound to the area of Jim Linegar Lane,” said Alexander.
The Dakota went to the end of Jim Linegar Lane and onto private property where the street ends. “The vehicle when through a yard and fence and into the woods north of the lane,” said Alexander.
The suspects, Sarah R. Sanders and Jerry Wyatt, fled on foot from there into a large field.
Sergeant Aaron Hueft joined Chief Alexander in searching for the suspects. They drove their patrol vehicles through the field. “We were going about five miles per hour through the uncut field,” said Alexander. “The suspects appear to have been laying flat in the field. The grass was 4-5 feet tall. As we made our way through the field, the male eventually jumped up shouting that his girlfriend was injured,” he said.
Sanders suffered serious injuries when the patrol vehicle drove over her. She was taken to Cox South Hospital in Springfield by Mercy helicopter.
Chief Alexander said drugs were found in the vehicle after the suspects were apprehended. “The truck had two different licence plates, neither belonging to the vehicle,” he said. “We are still investigating why they fled.”
After the incident, Sergeant Hueft was sent home for the day, according to Alexander. “He was pretty shook up right after. But he is back on the job after he was cleared by us and by Highway Patrol. Dash cam video shows the vegetation was really thick and that he couldn’t see them at all,” said Alexander.
The second suspect, Jerry Lee Wyatt, 29, of St. Louis, was arrested and booked into the Stone County Jail. He is charged with resisting arrest for a felony, tampering with a motor vehicle in the first degree and possession of a controlled substance. He was held in lieu of $50,000 cash or surety bond, which has since been posted. Online court records do not show any charges against Sanders as of presstime.