Internal investigation planned after pursuit leads to fatal crash
A motorcyclist died in a crash early Wednesday morning just west of Springfield while he was fleeing from a sheriff's deputy, according to the Greene County Sheriff's Office.
A deputy attempted to stop the motorcycle for traffic violations just after 2 a.m. on Chestnut Expressway near West Bypass, but the motorcyclist fled westbound, according to a news release from the sheriff.
The motorcyclist attempted to cross Interstate 44 on Chestnut Expressway and lost control, striking the center median. He then crashed into a tractor-trailer.
A Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report says the man, 45-year-old Allen Grisham, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sheriff's office spokeswoman Cathy Ussery said the pursuit started inside the Springfield city limits, but the crash occurred west of the city. She said only one deputy was involved in the chase, and that deputy did not have time to request assistance from additional units before the crash occurred.
The pursuit lasted for about two miles before the motorcyclist crashed, based on the locations given by the sheriff's office.
Ussery said Springfield police had put out an informational broadcast earlier in the night about contact they had with a motorcyclist.
Police spokeswoman Lisa Cox said police had two run-ins with motorcyclists on Tuesday night, but it isn't clear if Grisham was among them.
Cox said police were looking for an escaped inmate named Dereck R. Owens, who was possibly on a motorcycle at about 7 p.m. on Tuesday. About 10 p.m., police attempted to stop some motorcyclists who were "popping wheelies." Those motorcyclists fled the scene, and police did not pursue, Cox said.
Sheriff's office policy states that a pursuit can be initiated by a deputy for one of three reasons: The subject presents a clear and immediate threat to the safety of other motorists, the subject has committed or is attempting to commit a felony or when the necessity of apprehension outweighs the level of danger created by the pursuit.
Ussery said the sheriff's office does not have a specific policy for pursuing motorcycles.
The policy says deputies take several factors into account, including the nature of the violation, the time of day, weather conditions, road conditions and population density.
Ussery said the sheriff's office Professional Standards Division will be conducting an internal investigation to determine if any policy violations were committed.
The Springfield Police Department was not involved in the Wednesday morning pursuit. For comparison, Springfield police have a 12-page guide for vehicle pursuits. The only mention of motorcycles is in a section that states using a controlled tire deflating system on a fleeing motorcycle is considered deadly force.
The Springfield police pursuit policy says that "the decision to initiate a pursuit must be based on the pursuing officer's conclusion that the immediate danger to the public created by the pursuit is less than the immediate or potential danger to the public should the suspect remain at large."
Ussery, from the sheriff's office, said she could not provide specific information about the crash like how fast the motorcycle was going and if the pursuit was confined to just Chestnut Expressway. She also said she could not give the name of the deputy involved.
Ussery said the highway patrol is investigating the crash, so further questions about the accident should go through them.
Highway patrol spokesman Jason Pace said the investigation into the crash is ongoing.
Court records show Grisham was charged last year with possession of a controlled with intent to distribute.
Grisham had previous convictions for possession of a controlled substance, possession of drugs with intent to distribute and trafficking in drugs.