A Sedalia teen is facing two felony charges after a high-speed pursuit that began in Pettis County ended in Cooper County on Wednesday, August 28.
According to a release from the Pettis County Sheriff’s Department, just after 11 p.m., a Sedalia Police officer attempted a traffic stop, but the driver fled in the vehicle, and a pursuit was initiated.
Pettis County deputies took over the pursuit with assistance from Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers. The pursuit continued east on U.S. Highway 50 into Morgan County; then north on Highway 5 into Cooper County. Stop sticks were deployed, but the driver of the suspect vehicle, veered the vehicle off the roadway to prevent striking them. As the vehicle went into a ditch, a rear-seat passenger jumped out. The vehicle continued toward I-70 in Cooper County and stopped in the parking lot of Love’s Truck Stop. The driver, 19-year-old Jakson Alexander Hewett-Jones, was taken into custody for a warrant out of Pettis County. According to online court documents, the warrant was issued on August 8 for failure to appear.
During the investigation, authorities learned Hewett-Jones allegedly would not allow the two passengers to get out of the vehicle; and he allegedly was tampering with evidence during the pursuit.
Online court documents say Hewett-Jones- who was listed as being a resident of Smithton in the original report from the Pettis County Sheriff’s Department- has been charged with a Class D Felony for Second-Degree Kidnapping; and a Class E Felony for Resisting Arrest, Detention or Stop by Fleeing. Bond has been set at $10,000 cash or surety.
Hewett-Jones was arraigned while in custody on Friday, August 30. His cause has been continued for a counsel-status hearing at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 3, at Pettis County Circuit Court.