One Case From High Speed U-Haul Chase in February Resolved in Cass Co. Court

By Benjamin Cox on March 25, 2025 at 3:11pm

An individual involved in what would become a high-speed chase with a U-Haul out of Beardstown pleaded guilty to criminal damage to property and drug charges in Cass County Court yesterday.

30-year old Tyler J. Cottingham of Petersburg pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine and criminal damage to property over $500 yesterday in Cass County Circuit Court.

According to a Cass County Sheriff’s report on February 12th, deputies received information on a theft that had occurred from a residence in the City of Virginia. An observant citizen witnessed part or all of the acts and pursued the offending occupants until they were able to disable his vehicle – a U-Haul truck that had taken an ATV and trailer. The trailer at one point became unhitched and ended up in a yard of a residence in Beardstown.

Cass County Sheriff Devron Ohrn said at the time that the observant resident then got into n altercation with the driver of the U-Haul – later identified as Cottingham. According to Cass County State’s Attorney Craig Miller, Cottingham screamed at the other resident at the intersection of Arenzville and Buck School Roads, before pulling a knife and slashing two of the tires on the civilian’s truck. A Cass County Sheriff’s deputy located the the U-Haul later and was able to take Cottingham into custody in Beardstown. A passenger in the U-Haul, later identified as 40-year old Shauna R. Ashby, slipped into the driver’s seat while Cottingham was being apprehended and took off in the U-Haul from Beardstown. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office then issued an ISP bulletin on the vehicle. A pursuit on the vehicle ensued and Ashby was captured several hours later with the help of a K-9 officer, east of Litchfield. Ashby remains held at the Menard County Jail awaiting further progress in her case.

Cottingham was sentenced by Judge Timothy J. Wessel yesterday to 2 years of adult probation, ordered to pay fines, fees, and costs as well as full restitution for the criminal damage. He was given credit for 41 days served in the Menard County Jail.