ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A 31-year-old man was charged Wednesday after he allegedly stole a semi-tractor in Minnesota and crashed it into a school two states away after a police chase in St. Louis County Tuesday afternoon.
According to the probable cause statement from Missouri State Highway Patrol, Bennie Jerome Robinson, 31, was charged with multiple counts of resisting/interfering with arrest for a felony, resisting arrest/detention/stop by fleeing, vehicle hijacking, first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle and property damage.
A Missouri State Highway Patrol spokesman said the truck crashed into a dumpster on the parking lot of Mason Ridge Elementary School in Town and Country after a chase that started in O'Fallon Tuesday. The school sustained minor damage and a man was taken into custody after trying to run away from police.
“This was the first that I had a tractor run from me,” said Master Sergeant Charles Pleasant with the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The MSHP spokesman said the truck was being tracked by the trucking company, which called the department. He said troopers got in position in O'Fallon and initiated a police chase as the truck drove east on Interstate 64.
“He was probably going 75 to 80 miles an hour. He avoided two sets of spike strips,” said investigators.
The suspect continued east until exiting on Mason Road. He jumped out of the truck and ran off.
A witness told 5 On Your Side's Robert Townsend that he saw the man run across the school parking lot and try to carjack a woman who had a girl in the car with her.
“He jumped into a woman’s van. She probably had a daughter five or six years old with her. I heard the mom just screaming and then the cops just started running,” said Sean Ulicne, who witnessed it.
He was unsuccessful and tried to continue running, but police caught up with him and took him into custody.
“It was just shocking," Ulicne said. "After they arrested the guy he was screaming, ‘Help me. I’m from Minnesota. They’re gonna kill me.'”
The highway patrol spokesman said the man taken into custody was from Remer, Minnesota. He is being held at the St. Charles County jail. Formal charges have been requested from the St. Charles County prosecutor's office.
Students and adults were at the school when the truck crashed into the building, but no one was hurt, a Parkway School District spokeswoman said. She said they were there for an after-school care program. The spokeswoman said they would be sending home a letter to parents later in the day.
The letter from Mason Ridge's principal Jenn Dieken-Buchek said:
"Dear Parents and Staff,
"I want to make you aware of an unusual situation that occurred after school today.
"At approximately 4:54 PM, we were notified that law enforcement was involved in a high-speed chase on the interstate near our school. The vehicle involved was a tractor trailer and it ended up on the Mason Ridge parking lot and struck a trash dumpster and crashed. No one at the school was involved or injured in the crash and everyone is safe.
"The driver of the vehicle fled on foot and reportedly attempted unsuccessfully to carjack a vehicle that was parked at the school. The individual was subsequently apprehended, and has been taken into custody with no weapons involved. Police have given us the all clear.
"I wanted to let everyone know as soon as possible, since it has been on the local news media and you will likely hear about it. I am grateful that all of our staff, students and parents are safe. We did have some Adventure Club students and staff in the building who may have witnessed some of the incident, along with some adults in the parking lot. We will be sure to have staff on hand tomorrow to help anyone who may need to talk.
"I will let you know if I receive additional information. For now, everyone is safe and we expect school to be in session tomorrow morning as usual.
Thank you for all your continued support for our school community."
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