A man faces charges after leading police on a chase in a stolen vehicle in Independence, Missouri, which ultimately led to his arrest on Monday.
Robert T. Wood, a 54-year-old resident of Independence, Missouri, has been charged with aggravated fleeing a stop, according to court records filed on Tuesday, November 19, in the Jackson County, Missouri, Circuit Court.
According to a probable cause statement filed by the Independence Police Department, first responders were notified around 12:30 a.m. on Monday, November 18th, about a stolen vehicle traveling north on Noland Rd. from 35th St.
Law enforcement officials discovered the stolen vehicle in the vicinity of 23rd and Nolan St. They promptly initiated a pursuit and signaled the driver, who was later identified as Wood, to pull over. However, Wood chose to defy the authorities and instead tried to evade them by accelerating.
The Independence Police stated that the chase took place on wet residential roads, with a speed reaching 62 mph. The pursuit covered almost 6 miles of blacktop before a tow truck, near Sterling and 6th St., utilized its bed to forcefully push the stolen vehicle off the road and into another driver’s car.
Law enforcement officials discovered drug paraphernalia, including a glass pipe and multiple syringes, inside the vehicle during a thorough search. As a result, Wood was apprehended and taken into custody.
During the interview, Wood admitted that he had bought the vehicle from Facebook Marketplace and claimed ownership of the methamphetamine. He explained that he tried to avoid getting caught by the authorities because he was already on probation for a prior offense of possessing a controlled substance.
Wood is currently facing charges of aggravated fleeing a stop or detention, according to court records. As of Wednesday, Wood is still in custody with a bond set at $10,000.
