Bronaugh man arrested after weekend pursuit

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Nevada Daily Mail

A Bronaugh man in a mini-van was reportedly involved in the 21st Sheriff's Office pursuit of the year.

The Vernon County Sheriff's Office announced Monday that 22-year-old Tyler Millman was arrested Friday night after taking deputies on a high-speed pursuit along Interstate 49 and county roads.

According to Sheriff Jason Mosher, the chase began on the interstate when a deputy noticed a van driving erratically at high speeds. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle because it nearly hit another car, and when the van failed to stop, the deputy initiated the pursuit and called for assistance.

The van reportedly continued to travel south on Interstate 49, reaching speeds up to 90 miles per hour before turning at the Sheldon exit and heading west onto N Highway. Missouri State Highway Patrol, which assisted the Sheriff's Office, used spike strips along 1425 Road to halt the van.

"A trooper was there at the right spot at the right time with spike strips ready," Mosher said.

Mosher said spike strips deflate tires within 30 seconds, and after the van's two front tires were punctured, the suspect pulled over into a ditch. In some instances, pursuit suspects will attempt to keep driving on deflated tires, but most vehicles slow down and cannot be easily navigated after tires have gone flat.

The sheriff said the successful ending to the pursuit could be credited to additional training deputies have been undergoing.

"It was a perfect example of what they've been going through at training," he said. Those training protocols include giving strong vehicle descriptions to dispatch, reporting speeds and analyzing safety of other drivers throughout the chase. Because the pursuit with Millman occurred late Friday night when few drivers were around, deputies continued attempts to stop his van.

Millman was taken into custody when his vehicle stopped. He was transported to the Vernon County Jail. According to the Sheriff's Office and Missouri court records, Millman faces charges for methamphetamine possession. He was held on a $10,000 cash-only bond.

According to court records, Millman has had related motor vehicle charges in years past. He faces charges of first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle and driving while revoked from November 2013; failure to yield, exceeding the speed limit, failure to obey a traffic control device and other charges from January 2014; and driving while suspended in May 2014.

"Pursuits are dangerous and we don't want to have to do them, but people need to learn if you run from law enforcement, there will be consequences and you will go to jail," Mosher said in an office press release Monday.

Second pursuit follows on Saturday

County deputies were involved in a second, unrelated pursuit Saturday afternoon. Mosher said a deputy witnessed a driver speeding along Austin Boulevard at nearly 60 miles per hour, and attempted to stop the driver. When the vehicle failed to yield, a pursuit was initiated.

Mosher said the suspect led police along county roads near 1425 Road before the pursuit became unsafe. "The deputy backed out for safety reasons," he said. Investigators are working to identify the vehicle's driver.

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