MT. VERNON, Ill. (WJPF) — A Mississippi man is in custody after a chase and shootout with police.
It all started around 7:15 a.m. Thursday on Interstate 57 near Mt. Vernon.
According to Illinois State Police, the vehicle was initially stopped for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, state police found items inside the vehicle that led to the 23-year-old driver to be detained for questioning.
The passenger, Dante Faulkner, 40, then jumped into the driver’s seat and began to drive away. The state trooper tried to stop Faulker by getting inside the vehicle. Faulkner drove off with the state trooper still inside the vehicle, travelling about 300 yards before briefly stopping, during which the trooper got out of the vehicle unhurt. Faulkner then sped off.
Faulkner was later spotted by Kentucky police and arrested in Tennessee after a shootout with police.
The original driver of the vehicle was released from custody with no charges.
Faulkner has been charged in Illinois for Aggravated Battery of a Police Officer.