A warrant has been issued and a Sedalia woman has been formally charged with felonies after leading law enforcement on a high speed chase with two juveniles in her vehicle last week in Pettis County.
A probable cause statement says a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper was observing in the area of U.S. Highway 50 and Route O and noticed a vehicle with an expired license plate number on Monday, April 15. The trooper attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the vehicle accelerated and a chase ensued.
The trooper reportedly was traveling at 95 miles per hour and lost sight of the suspect’s vehicle as it traveled through a series of sharp curves and a hill crest. The trooper made contact with the suspect’s vehicle after it had crashed at the intersection of Muschaney Road and Lamms Lane. The trooper noticed the driver exited the vehicle and fled to a nearby wooded area. The trooper reportedly noticed two juvenile females still in the vehicle and checked on their well being. The trooper spoke with the juveniles who stated the driver was their mother, 40-year-old Tammy Ballew. Troopers with assistance from Pettis County deputies searched the wooded area for Ballew which ended with negative results. The juveniles were transported to an area hospital for treatment.
Online court documents say Ballew has been charged with two counts of a Class D Felony for Endangering the Welfare of a Child in the First Degree and a Class E Felony for Resisting Arrest by Fleeing-Creating a Substantial Risk of Serious Injury to Any Person. Bond has been set at $50,000 cash or surety.
An initial hearing for Ballew is pending at Pettis County Circuit Court.