On 11/21/2019 – Officers were dispatched to the Circle K at 1339 W 2nd St for the report of a theft in progress. While enroot, dispatch advised that the suspects were leaving in a white or silver SUV going down the alley towards Western Ave. Officer George Kilgren observed a silver Dodge Durango going east in the alley between 1st/2nd St towards Western Ave. Officer Kilgren attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle due to the theft. Once Officer Kilgren’s red and blue lights were activated the Durango made a sharp turn going south on D St from Nelson. The vehicle did not use its right turn signal and began to accelerate. The vehicle ran the stop sign at 1st/D St and turned west onto 1st St without using a turn signal. Officer Kilgren then notified dispatch that he was in a vehicle pursuit.
The vehicle continued going west on 1st at a high rate of speed until 1st/F St when it left the roadway and then turned south in the alley. It then turned east on 2nd St and ran every stop sign as it traveled east until getting to Nebraska St, where it also ran the stop sign. It continued east at speeds of approximately 70 mph until coming to the bus barn. There the vehicle went south on Adams St, which was a one way going north. It then traveled into oncoming traffic going east on SR 18 Westbound. It then turned north into the alley by Castle Apartments and went through the gas station parking lot at 1st/Branson. It crossed Branson and began to travel east on 2nd St towards Ballard field, all the while with 3 police cars behind him with lights and sirens activated. The vehicle drove through the grass and crossed over 3rd St onto Sweetser St. going south. At SR 18 the vehicle began to travel east at a high rate of speed. The vehicle then turned north on Pennsylvania and continued towards Bradford St.
The vehicle ran the stop sign at Bradford/Pennsylvania and continued north at a high rate of speed
until Pennsylvania turns into Charles. It then traveled west on Charles running all stop signs. The
vehicle turned south onto Washington and began to accelerate to speeds of over 100 mph.
The vehicle continued south on Washington through downtown at a high rate of speed. At
13th/Washington the vehicle began to fish tail and drift to the right side of the road, then over
corrected and left the road on the left side. It struck some landscaping stones and went airborne
before landing on the roof of the car at 14th/Washington.
As officers approached the vehicle the driver was crawling towards the back seat as the vehicle was badly damaged preventing the doors to be opened. An officer utilized his asp to break the window on the rear passenger side in order to remove the driver. The suspect was then placed into custody.
The driver was identified as James Wallace, age 34. Wallace was transported to Marion General Hospital with minor cuts and bruises. The passenger Erik Moore, age 33 was removed from the passenger seat. He was transported to Marion General Hospital and released with minor cuts and bruises.
Wallace was medically cleared and then transported to the Grant Co. Jail. Wallace was arrested to answer to the following charges: Driving While Suspended-Prior (A Misd.), Resisting Law Enforcement w/A Vehicle (Level 6 Felony) and Reckless Driving (B Misd.).