A high-speed chase on Feb. 4 through Stoddard County reached speeds exceeding 120 mph and caused one school system to go on lockdown and another was on alert.
It was a brief reminder of the importance of safety proceedures on school grounds.
“Our number one priority is safety,” Bernie Superintendent Dustin Hicks said. “Even above instruction.”
Hicks said that Bernie schools were locked down for about 25 minutes. He explained that they didn’t have a lot of information to go on so they always error on the side of caution in those instances.
Bernie runs drills periodically to prepare staff and students for a situation like this, Hicks said. He added that this situation gave them a chance to review their safety procedures in a live situation. They are able to make changes where they feel they need to improve.
Hicks added that as more information came in they were able to to return to normal activity as the situation became less severe. The chase turned north toward Dexter and the schools were never in put in danger.
“It was very kind of (law enforcement) to call,” Hicks said. “Law enforcement advised us to go ahead and lock down.”
According to Qulin Marshal Michael Lashley he observed a suspect in a black Jeep Renegade pulling away from a Qulin business and believed the individual had been involved in police pursuits before. He then attempted a traffic stop, however, the suspect fled.
After a pursuit through Qulin, the suspect fled on County Road 663. Once out on the county roads the pursuit exceeded 120 mph.
“He took nothing into consideration,” said Lashley.
Lashley noted that the suspect travelled down County Road 654 and crossed over Highway CC without braking. The pursuit travelled down Highway U and neared Bernie. This prompted the Bernie School District to enter lockdown as a precaution.
The pursuit made its way to Dexter where the Dexter Police Department briefly joined the chase. Lashley pursued the suspect for approximately 35 minutes and terminated pursuit in Dexter when his vehicle failed.
He explained that as he slowed to turn onto South Catalpa he found he no longer had brakes. Fortunately, the road had an incline and he was able to coast to a stop just short of AF. Lashley stated that all four tires on his car were smoking when he exited the vehicle. The Dexter Police Department terminated pursuit once the chase got away from the school and the schools were secure.
Dexter Police Chief Trevor Pulley said he, along with other officers, were on school grounds during the brief pursuit to ensure the schools were secure.
A few days after the pursuit, the Butler County Sheriff’s Department arrested the suspect Tommy Johnson. He is being held in the Stoddard Count Jail on a probation violation. Charges are pending in Butler County.
Dexter Superintendent C.A. Counts said law enforcement did not recommend that Dexter Schools go to lockdown. He said that school officials were aware of what was going on at all times and were very vigilant. He added that the School Resource Officer (SRO) was very active during that time.
Counts said that for Dexter Schools going to lockdown does not differ much from their normal operation. The outside doors to the schools are locked at all times with only one door at each school that people can enter. However, before they can enter they must be buzzed in by the respective school office.
Any classroom with a teacher conducting a class is also locked, Counts said. The SRO performs random spot checks of doors and the campuses are walked regularly. Drills are run with faculty and students so they know what to do if someone would try to gain entry to the one of the schools. Counts said they would then shelter in place. He also said that the key to a safe campus is the multiple layers of defense.
“I cannot sing the praises of the law enforcement enough,” said Counts, “for keeping the the schools informed.”
Hicks voiced his appreciation of law enforcement as well during the the chase.