A Macoupin County man was convicted on four counts last Tuesday in relation to a theft and high speed chase in Carlinville from last year.
33 year old Caleb J. Prose of Girard was found guilty of burglary, aggravated battery of a peace officer, aggravated battery with a motor vehicle, and aggravated fleeing with property damage. The Alton Telegraph reports it took the jury just 40 minutes to find Prose guilty in the case.
According to Macoupin County State’s Attorney Jordan Garrison in court proceedings, Sgt. Larry Rayburn of the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department was called to University Street in rural Carlinville on Sept. 5 after a property owner noticed tools appeared to have been hidden so they could be picked up later.
Officers determined the tools had been taken from Davis Towing in Carlinville between Sept. 3 and Sept. 5. A motion-activated surveillance camera was placed to observe the location of the hidden tools; and at approximately 1 p.m. Sept. 5, the camera was activated by a dark SUV entering the property. The SUV was later seen being driven by Prose and a high-speed pursuit ensued, ending on Deer Lane about 5 miles north of Carlinville in rural Macoupin County.
According to court testimony, Prose rammed a deputy’s squad car and ran from the scene. Prose was later apprehended on October 18th near Girard.
Sentencing in this case is set for March 7th. Prose is awaiting a trial on another Macoupin County case for theft of a motor vehicle. He is due back in court on February 14th on a motion to suppress evidence that was allegedly illegally seized in that case. The Alton Telegraph further reports that Prose is also awaiting extradition to the State of Georgia on a probation violation.