On August 25th , 2024 at approximately 5:10 A.M. a Clay County Deputy was sitting west of Corning at Cr 131 and U.S. 67 when he observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on U.S. 67. The deputy got behind a black Dodge Charger and paced it at 85 M.P.H. The deputy attempted to make a traffic stop, and the vehicle accelerated to over 100 M.P.H. As they entered Randolph County the vehicle turned it’s lights off. Clay County Dispatch notified Randolph County of a pursuit headed toward Pocahontas on U.S. 67. Pocahontas P.D. deployed spike strips at a bridge east of Pocahontas, and were successful in deflating some of the tires on the vehicle. The vehicle finally came to a stop on U.S. 67 by Baltz Lake. The driver of the vehicle was a 16yr. old juvenile from Rantoul, Illinois. The driver had no driver’s license or I.D. card.
He also told the deputy he was going to Texas. The passenger was the driver’s brother, 20yr. old Justin Martinez-Tapia of Rantoul, Illinois. The passenger had no driver’s license and was in possession of two I.D.’s with a different identity on one of them. There was a search conducted of the vehicle and they both were placed in custody and transported to the Clay County Detention Center. The juvenile was then transported to a juvenile detention facility in Dewitt. The Driver was charged with Felony Fleeing, Possession of Sch VI LT 40Z, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Reckless Driving, No Driver’s License, No Liability Insurance. The passenger was booked into the detention center on the following charges. Possession of Sch VI Less Than 40Z, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Fraudulent or Altered I.D., and Permitting an Unauthorized Person to Drive.
