PERRY COUNTY, Mo. — An investigation is underway for two suspects after police said they crashed into a police car in a possible stolen vehicle in Perry County.
The Perry County Sheriff’s office reported that around 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, two officers were investigating a possible stolen car near State Highway B and Interstate 55.
The deputies located a car that matched the description traveling northbound on I-55 near the 123-mile marker.
The officers attempted to pull over the car by conducting a traffic stop, but the suspects didn’t stop.
According to a sheriff’s office press release, police chased after the car, which briefly drove the wrong way in the southbound lanes of I-55.
One of the officers attempted to change directions in the designated interstate turn-a-round when the suspects crashed head-on into the officer’s car, causing significant damage.
The suspects continued northbound on I-55 before crashing near the 127-mile marker and catching fire.
A witness to the incident saw two men get out of the suspect's car and ran east away from the crash scene toward Highway K and Highway B.
Shortly after 9:30 a.m., a local resident called police and said his home security camera caught photos of two men running through his yard toward Perry County Road 501. The resident gave police the video and photo evidence of the suspects.
“A search of the area surrounding the suspect sighting was immediately conducted, and public safety alerts were sent to the community,” Jason Klaus, a Perry County Sheriff’s Office detective, said in the release.
The two officers involved in the head-on collision were assessed at the first crash scene by EMS and later assessed by the Perry County Memorial Hospital.
There were no significant injuries reported, according to the press release.
The Sheriff’s office is actively looking for the two men. The public should consider the suspects armed and dangerous.
The first suspect is described as male, wearing a white hoodie, black pants and white shoes.
The second suspect was described as male, wearing a black shirt or jacket and black shoes with white soles.
The Perry County Sheriff's Office asks to report any information regarding the location and identification of the suspects to the department at 573-547-4576.
To watch 5 On Your Side broadcasts or reports 24/7, 5 On Your Side is always streaming on 5+. Download for free on Roku or Amazon Fire TV.
