ST. LOUIS — Two men were charged Tuesday after a police pursuit of a stolen vehicle ended in a crash near Ballpark Village in downtown St. Louis Monday, police said.
Prosecutors charged Darryl Taylor Jr., 26, with two counts of leaving the scene of an accident and one count each of first-degree vehicle tampering, unlawful possession of a firearm, resisting arrest by fleeing and resisting arrest for a felony. All are felony counts.
Kristopher Johnson, 22, who police said was a passenger in the car, was charged with one count of resisting arrest.
A police spokesperson at the scene said the pursuit ended at around 4 p.m. when the vehicle crashed into a Tesla at South 8th Street and Clark Avenue. At some point during the pursuit, guns were thrown from the vehicle, police said.
According to a probable cause statement, Illinois State Police informed St. Louis police that deputies were pursuing a blue Dodge Charger wanted in connection with a homicide and that it was crossing the Stan Musial Bridge into Missouri.
St. Louis police's Real Time Crime Center spotted the car driving westbound on Chouteau from 14th Street. Responding officers arrived as it was turning northbound onto Jefferson Avenue.
Officers successfully deployed spike strips and activated their lights and sirens. Taylor, who police said was driving, didn't stop and led officers on a high-speed chase along Interstate 64. He then exited the interstate onto 11th Street, continuing until the Charger struck two vehicles and came to a stop at Clark and South 8th Street.
Taylor ran through Ballpark Village but was caught after a foot chase, the probable cause statement said.
Johnson also ran and continued to resist after he was caught, with police deploying a stun gun on him twice, the probable cause statement said.
Two guns were tossed from the car during the chase, police said; lab analysis for DNA and fingerprints was pending. Illinois State Police said Taylor had pointed a black handgun at the car's owner before stealing it.
The car had been stolen out of Jefferson City, police said.
Both men were ordered to be held without bond.