Okawville Police Chase Stolen Car Suspect to Nashville

By Travis Volz

A report of a man behaving erratically in Okawville resulted in an arrest near Nashville early Saturday morning.

Ricco Griffith of St. Louis was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and several other charges, including eluding police, following an incident that began in Okawville.

According to a report from the Okawville Police Department, an officer responded to a report of a man behaving erratically at Circle K at around 1:30 a.m. Saturday.

The man left Circle K driving a Black Chevrolet HHR toward Interstate 64. An Okawville officer recognized the vehicle near Road Ranger, where the vehicle was stopped.

Before the officer was able to approach the stopped vehicle, which had been reported stolen in O’Fallon, Ill., the driver took off and headed east on I-64. The Okawville officer pursued, and the suspect stopped again near the 43 Mile Marker.

Once again, before the officer could make contact with the driver, he drove off at a high rate of speed. The vehicle exited at Exit 50, but slid off the ramp due to rainy conditions on the roadway.

With the vehicle stuck in the mud, Griffith was arrested on the scene. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Nashville Police  Department assisted on the scene.

Griffith was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, fleeing and eluding police, as well as driving 20 miles per hour above the speed limit and disregarding a stop sign. He is being held at the Washington County Jail.