A man evading St. Louis police after driving recklessly in the city crashed a Mercedes into a tractor-trailer Thursday on Interstate 70, authorities said in court records.
Tawon D. Ricks, 27, of St. Louis, only complied with authorities after the crash disabled both vehicles on I-70 near Shreve Avenue, according to court papers.
Officers with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were patrolling the city’s Walnut Park area Thursday when they noticed the Mercedes speeding and disregarding traffic signs and signals.
“Instead of a license plate, there was a placard that said ‘private,'” an SLMPD officer reported. “Officers activated their lights and sirens to conduct a stop.”
Rick made a U-turn rather than stopping, according to authorities.
“As the car went by, the driver’s side window was down, and officers observed the car’s sole occupant,” the law enforcement official stated. “This occupant was later identified as the defendant..
According to authorities, Ricks continued to accelerate and ignore all warning signs and signals.
“Eventually, the vehicle was successfully spike-stripped, but the defendant did not stop,” according to the police officer. “He continued, forcing other drivers to slam their brakes and swerve.”
According to investigators, Ricks wrecked after driving onto I-70.
“It was only at this point that the defendant complied with officer commands,” wrote the cop.
Police discovered a clear, knotted bag in Rick’s front pocket, which was later verified to contain “numerous capsules containing fentanyl,” according to court documents. Police reported that only two of the capsules contained 70mg of fentanyl.
According to the DEA, 2 mg is sufficient to kill an average American.
SLMPD officers also discovered little plastic bags carrying cocaine and methamphetamine, according to court filings.
A fourth-generation Glock 20 pistol with an extended magazine was also discovered in the Mercedes, according to court records. Both the chamber and the magazine were loaded.
“The defendant spontaneously stated that the gun was his,” investigators said.
According to authorities, Ricks has a prior felony record for resisting arrest from 2019, making it illegal for him to possess a handgun.
Ricks is accused of the following in a criminal complaint filed by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office:
- Second-degree drug trafficking, a class B felony;
- Unlawful possession of a firearm, a class C felony, for having a weapon as a felon;
- Two counts of possession of a controlled substance, class D felonies;
- Unlawful possession of a firearm-subsection II, a class A felony, for having a weapon while also having fentanyl;
- And resisting a lawful police stop.
On Friday, the court refused Ricks’ bond after his arrest Thursday afternoon. He had been jailed at the St. Louis City Justice Center as of Monday morning.
