A Metro East man pleaded guilty to fleeing police that resulted in a multi-county chase into Greene County in November.
46-year old Jermaine M. Moffitt of Evansville pleaded guilty to aggravated fleeing of police yesterday in Greene County Circuit Court.
According to a Carrollton Police report in November, an officer with the Carrollton Police received a report of an alleged drunk driver heading southbound on U.S. 67. The officer, along with assistance from a deputy of the Greene County Sheriff’s Office’s stopped a 1987 Chevy sedan at South Gates Estates, on the south edge of Carrollton. According to the report, officers reported seeing an open alcoholic beverage in a cup holder between the front seats. Officers asked Moffitt to exit the vehicle, and he refused and sped off southbound. A chase ensued in which speeds reached in excess of 100 miles per hour, with reports saying that Moffitt’s vehicle was unable to maintain its lane. Officers say that Moffitt had a near miss with an oncoming vehicle, nearly striking it head-on.
The Jerseyville Police Department deployed spike strips at the north end of Jerseyville near the Fairgrounds, which were struck by Moffitt’s vehicle. However, the strips failed to terminate the pursuit, which reached above 85 miles per hour within Jerseyville’s city limits.
Greene County officers then attempted a PIT maneuver prior to the stop lights at East County Road in Jerseyville, which then caused Moffitt’s vehicle to spin around and strike one of the police vehicle’s head-on. Despite the collision and Moffitt’s vehicle attempting to get away, the suspect vehicle was pinned and officers commanded Moffitt to exit his vehicle, which officers say he refused and screamed vulgarities at them, even requesting that officers to shoot him.
The report says officers then busted out a passenger side window and deployed a taser, but Moffitt still refused to exit the vehicle.
A Jersey County K-9 officer was then deployed, which forced Moffitt from the vehicle. Officers say that once Moffitt was out of the vehicle, he still refused to comply with commands, and the K-9 officer was deployed a second time, which forced Moffitt to the ground to allow him to be handcuffed. After Moffitt was detained, officers searched the vehicle and located a stolen Smith & Wesson pistol with a fully loaded magazine and a large amount of cannabis.
Moffitt was initially charged with possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, driving under the influence of alcohol, and aggravated fleeing.
Visiting Sangamon County Judge Daniel Wright sentenced Moffitt to 4 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, 1 year of mandatory supervised release, and ordered him to pay $2,000 in restitution. He was given credit for 96 days served in the Greene County Jail.