Man charged with 5 counts after allegedly fleeing from Greene County deputies

News-Leader

A Springfield man is facing five charges in connection with a chase Saturday that allegedly included a fiery crash, shots fired and a patrol car being forced off the roadway.

Blake Neill, 30, was charged with two counts of tampering with a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, assault and property damage.

According to a probable cause statement, a Greene County deputy spotted Neil driving recklessly in a Dodge truck down Glenstone Avenue on Saturday night.

Neill allegedly fled onto Interstate 44 and east to Strafford — at one point forcing a Greene County deputy off the roadway.

The statement says after the deputy went off the roadway, a Strafford police officer fired several shots at Neill's vehicle since he believed Neill had struck the deputy's patrol car.

Neill, who was not shot, continued to flee from law enforcement back toward Springfield.

Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott said there was a Missouri State Highway Patrol helicopter following from above, and deputies were only actively pursuing the suspect for about 60 seconds during the 30-minute ordeal.

Previously:Suspect in custody after chase leads from Springfield to Strafford and back again

Law enforcement was able to take out three of the tires on the truck Neill was driving, greatly reducing his speeds, and he eventually crashed the vehicle into a utility pole where it caught fire.

The statement says Neill then took off on foot, scaled a 6-foot fence, climbed inside a Coca-Cola semitrailer and started ramming it around the parking lot before he was eventually arrested.

Neill later admitted to using meth, marijuana and various pain medication. Police say the truck he was driving was stolen.

Court documents say Neill has been convicted twice for resisting arrest, twice for tampering with a motor vehicle and twice for drug possession.

Neill is being held in the Greene County Jail on $75,000 bond and does not have an attorney listed for this case.

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