Dexter Daily Statesman: Local News: High-speed chase ends in one arrest (03/25/08)

A high-speed chase involving a Bell City deputy and an Advance deputy ended near the small community of Ardeola yesterday afternoon with one man taken into custody.

Shawn Yount, 37, of Bell City, was arrested and placed in the Stoddard County jail after he led officers on a chase through a rural area east of Highway 25 near the area of Bell City and Highway 91.

According the Sheriff's Department, the chase began in Bell City when an off-duty officer there spotted Yount in town and realizing that the individual was wanted by Scott County authorities, attempted to pull over the Yount vehicle. When the vehicle would not yield to the officer, an Advance deputy was called in and the two pursued Yount as he headed west out of the downtown area.

Sheriff's officers were called to assist and following a chase involving speeds exceeding 90 miles per hour, Yount was finally apprehended in a cornfield after he fled by foot when his truck became buried in the muddy field. With a train across the railroad tracks in Ardeola, he had attempted to flee through the open field, but recent flood waters thwarted that plan.

Yount is being held at the county jail charged with probation violation. No bond has been set.

I greatly value our law enforcement officers but I have a few questions. If an officer is off duty, how does he/she have the right to pull someone over or even engage in a police pursuit? His job is done at the end of his day, isn't it then when he becomes just another resident/citizen of the community? If anything shouldn't he have notified the police department and let an ON DUTY officer handle the situation?

Again, I value all law enforcement officers. I applaud his dedication.

I am just curious and thought I would ask. All replies and answers are welcomed. Doesn't hurt to ask.

-- Posted by sweet on Sat, Apr 5, 2008, at 7:37 AM

sweet you have very good points. i have heard what bell citys police officer had to say about his part in this chase. he has stated that this chase started in advance and not in bell city therefor not only is he off duty but he was also out of his jurisdiction and in his personal car with his 1 year old child with him. if this chase lasted over 2 hours at speeds excedeing 90 miles per hour i personally concider this to be child endangerment. bell citys police officer said if his son would have got hurt then he would have put a knot on mr. younts head. bell citys police should have allowed the advance police to handle this. bell citys police should have never got involved.i personally cannot applaud this officers dedication, not as long as it endangers one of his childrens lives. also, there was no warrent for mr. yount at this time.

-- Posted by totally2hot4u on Wed, Apr 9, 2008, at 11:16 AM