Meth-Fueled, High-Speed Chase Goes Through Red Lights in O'Fallon, Police Say

A St. Louis County man led O’Fallon Police on a meth-fueled, high-speed chase Saturday, starting at Veterans Memorial Parkway at Downing Street and ending about 15 miles away in Lincoln County.

Officers said the man ran red lights, drove into oncoming traffic, nearly striking vehicles, and went as much as 50 mph over the speed limit.

Jacob Stafford, 19, of the 3000 block of Calvert Avenue in Breckenridge Hills, was charged Monday with resisting arrest, creating a substantial risk of injury or death.

Officer Diana Damke, a spokesperson for O’Fallon Police, said the officer tried to pull over Stafford on Veterans Memorial Parkway at Downing Street in O'Fallon because he believed Stafford was driving impaired.

After he was caught, Stafford told police he was on methamphetamine during the pursuit and took meth while he was fleeing, according to a police report.

O’Fallon Police said Stafford fled instead of pulling over and drove up to 50 mph over the speed limit, ran red lights and nearly struck cars, causing other drivers to swerve off the road to avoid accidents.

He went north on Highway 79 into Lincoln County. He went into the intersection of highways 79 and 47 at high speed, causing one vehicle to go off the roadway and into a ditch.

He turned west onto Highway 47 near Winfield, and attempted to pass a car on a hillcrest on 47, narrowly avoiding a head-on collision with another vehicle.

Bond was set at $50,000 for Stafford.

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