High Speed Chase Through 3 Counties Yesterday Nets Arrest South of Greenfield

By Benjamin Cox on May 28, 2021 at 11:25am

Photo Courtesy of Greene County Sheriff's Office

A high speed chase through 3 counties netted an arrest south of Greenfield yesterday evening.

According to a press release from the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, at 4:45 yesterday afternoon, the Greene County Sheriff’s Department was notified that a Morgan County Sheriff’s Deputy was attempting to stop a 2020 Nissan passenger vehicle that had just refused to stop for a Illinois State Police District 9 trooper for traffic violations that had occurred on Interstate-72 in Sangamon County.

The vehicle exited Interstate 72 in South Jacksonville and was now travelling south-bound on Illinois

Route 267 towards Greene County at a high rate of speed. A Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy clocked the vehicle north of Greenfield in speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. Greenfield Police and Greene County Sheriff’s Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, but were unsuccessful. A Carrollton Police officer had spike strips set up at the junction of Route 267 and Route 108, 3 miles south of Greenfield.

According to Greene County Sheriff Rob McMillen, the junction was congested due to the time of day and deputies were able to surround the vehicle with squad cars and stop the vehicle without incident and take the driver into custody shortly after 5PM.

Police arrested 36 year old Vonta Lamonte Commer of Springfield and charged with Speeding, Aggravated Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer, Reckless Driving, and Driving While License Revoked. Commer was also wanted on a Sangamon County Arrest Warrant for one count ofArmed Habitual Criminal, one count of Manufacture and or delivery of Methamphetamine, and one count of Possession of a Weapon by a Felon; a Sangamon County Failure to Appear Traffic Warrant; and an Illinois Department of Corrections Parole Violation Warrant. A District 9 State trooper issued Commer the following traffic citations for the traffic violations that occurred in Sangamon County, Failure to Wear a Seat Belt; Operating a Motor Vehicle while using an Electronic Communication Device; Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer; Aggravated Speeding in a Construction Zone 35+ over the posted Limit; Operation of Uninsured Motor Vehicle; and Driving While License Revoked.

Assisting the Greene County Sheriff’s Deputies in the arrest were members of the Greenfield Police Department, Morgan County Sheriff’s Department, Murrayville-Woodson Police, and the Roodhouse Police Department.

Commer is currently lodged in the Greene County Jail, awaiting transport to Sangamon County to answer for the two active arrest warrants.