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Jefferson City suspect in deadly bi-state police chase had history with law


Leslie Austin 2019 Mug Shot (Photo: Jefferson City mug shot)
Leslie Austin 2019 Mug Shot (Photo: Jefferson City mug shot)
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The suspect involved in Tuesday's police chase that left two dead and one woman fighting for her life had previous arrests for similar incidents dating back to 2014.

Thirty-nine-year-old Leslie K Austin, the suspected kidnapper, drove a woman and her child across state lines in a high-speed pursuit that stretched for more than 150 miles Tuesday night. The woman ,who had been identified by police as Danielle Smith, and her child were able to escape the vehicle, but Smith did sustain multiple gun shot wounds and was still in recovery Wednesday morning.

Dating back to 2014, KRCG 13 archives showed Austin faced multiple charges after police say he assaulted his girlfriend, drove off with their young daughter and led law enforcement on a chase.

According to records, a 29-year-old woman told 911 that her boyfriend, 33-year-old Leslie Austin, had assaulted her in the 1100 block of East Atchison then drove off with their six-year-old daughter. Following a short police chase through Jefferson City, authorities hit Austin with a taser, and he was taken into custody. KRCG 13 records showed that the six-year-old in the vehicle was not injured and was taken into protective custody.

Austin was arrested for second-degree domestic assault, felony resisting arrest, felony endangering the welfare of a child and third-degree assault on a law enforcement officer. Court records show that he was sentenced to seven years in prison, but a judge suspended the sentence and put him on probation instead. According to Case Net, two years later, he was sentenced to four months in jail for domestic assault, a misdemeanor, in Jefferson City.

Following Tuesday's alleged kidnapping and police chase, police said the 39-year-old suspect was believed to have been in a relationship with the female adult, Smith, who was kidnapped. During a press conference, law enforcement said the juvenile was believed to be the child of the 33-year-old kidnapping victim and Austin.

According to the probable cause statement connected to Austin's arrest in 2014, the woman involved in both incidents was Smith.

Austin's probation in 2014 was under the ordering that he have no contact with the victim, Smith, and not drink alcohol or use drugs.

Both the Jefferson City Police Department and the Cole County Prosecutors Office could not comment on whether the juvenile involved in both incidents was the same daughter shared between Austin and Smith. According to court records, the child involved in the 2014 incident was 6 years old at the time, and the child involved in Tuesday's incident was 10 years old.

Last week, an Order of Protection was issued by Cole County Circuit Judge Dan Green ordering Austin not to stalk, molest, abuse, communicate with or be within 100 feet of anywhere the protected person may be or reside. The order confirms that Austin and the petitioner have a child in common.

KRCG reached out to the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence regarding protection orders and revived this statement back.

Protection orders are an important tool in keeping survivors safe. In some cases, an ex parte order followed by the full order of protection are used to prevention future violence from occurring. In other cases, ex parte orders followed by full orders of protection are used to have additional charges filed—an example being if someone is charged with a domestic assault offense, and they violate the standing order of protection, it will add to previous charges filed.

"The most dangerous and lethal time for someone leaving an abusive relationship is directly after leaving," public affairs director Matthew Huffman said.

Huffman said an abusive partner is likely to go to extremes in order to maintain the power and control in the relationship.

"People who are experiencing domestic violence are often highly aware of what their abusive partner’s triggers are; advocates at domestic violence programs are able to help survivors create safety plans on how/when to leave, if the survivor is ready to leave, how to get an order of protection, and how to make sure it is enforced," Huffman said.

This story has been updated with the statement.


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