Missouri man stole semi truck from company hours after being fired, complaint says

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The Wisconsin State Patrol said a Missouri man was behind the wheel of a semi-truck that led law enforcement on a multi-county chase through west-central Wisconsin last week. MORE: https://www.channel3000.com/news/missouri-man-stole-semi-truck-from-company-hours-after-being-fired-complaint-s…

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. -- The Wisconsin State Patrol said a Missouri man was behind the wheel of a semi-truck that led law enforcement on a multi-county chase through west-central Wisconsin last week.

Michael S. Jones, 47, of St. Louis is charged with first-degree recklessly endangering safety, false imprisonment, attempting to flee or elude an officer, taking and driving a commercial vehicle without consent, resisting an officer and two counts of criminal damage to property.

According to a criminal complaint filed against him, Jones stole the semi truck from his former employer after he was fired earlier in the day.

A woman who was in the truck with Jones for the entirety of the chase later told law enforcement that Jones was "flipping out" earlier in the day and stole the truck while she was trying to gather her belongings from the vehicle. Jones repeatedly ignored the woman's requests for him to stop and let her out during the chase, at one point leading her to tell 911 dispatchers she was considering jumping out of the moving truck, the complaint alleges.

The truck was first reported stolen around 2 p.m. Friday. State Patrol troopers first started following Jones around 2:50 p.m. along I-94 at mile marker 135 near Warrens, Wisconsin.

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The following police chase spanned more than 50 miles in total. Traffic camera footage of the chase showed more than a dozen law enforcement vehicles involved in the pursuit at times.

Officials said Tomah police, Juneau County Sheriff's deputies and State Patrol troopers used tire deflation devices to try and stop the semi-truck. An armored vehicle joined the chase when the semi entered Juneau County. The semi continued along I-90/94, driving only on tire rims. Officials said this caused the rear of the semi to catch on fire.

The truck eventually crashed just outside of the Wisconsin Dells where Jones was ultimately arrested after trying to run from law enforcement. While in custody in the back of a State Patrol squad car, Jones also allegedly kicked out a rear window. The shattered glass reportedly cut a Juneau County Sheriff's Office deputy in the face.

Jones was then put into a different squad car and taken to the Juneau County Jail.

During a court hearing Monday, Jones' cash bond was set at $25,000.

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WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. -- A semi-truck that led law enforcement on a multi-county chase through parts of west-central Wisconsin Friday afternoo…

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