Dual-Vehicle Pursuit Leads to Arrest of Four Out-of-State Burglary Suspects

St. Francois Co., Mo. (KFMO) - A dual-vehicle police pursuit on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, resulted in the arrest of four suspects from the Chicago, Illinois, area. The incident began at approximately 7:25 p.m. when a resident of Iron Mountain Lake, MO, reported an active burglary to St. Francois County 911.

Deputies from the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Office and Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers responded to the scene at 7:43 p.m. Upon arrival, officers observed two vehicles fleeing a neighboring residence without headlights or taillights activated. Both vehicles evaded an initial traffic stop, prompting a high-speed pursuit.

The chase moved through Bismarck and continued east on Highway 32 toward Park Hills. Tire deflation devices successfully disabled one vehicle on Highway 32 near East Elvins, leading to the immediate arrest of two occupants without incident.

The second vehicle continued into Leadington, where it became disabled near the Pitstop convenience store. Both occupants fled on foot. One suspect was captured near the Leadington Police Department, while the other fled across Highway 67 and onto the Mineral Area College campus.

Due to the proximity of the pursuit, Mineral Area College initiated a lockdown to protect residential students. A coordinated search using drones, K-9 units, and a perimeter resulted in the arrest of the fourth suspect at 10:02 p.m. The individual was found hiding in an unlocked van near Piney Drive in Leadington, approximately half a mile from the disabled vehicle.

The suspects, all from Illinois, include 31-year-old Anthony Needham of Chicago, 26-year-old Devonte Moret of Evanston, 26-year-old Justin Pearce of Evanston, and 30-year-old Ryan Peart of Evanston. All four were taken into custody for resisting arrest. Additional charges, including burglary, may be filed as the investigation progresses.

St. Francois County Sheriff’s Office expressed gratitude to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Department of Conservation, and the Park Hills, Bismarck, Leadington, and Desloge Police Departments for their collaboration during the incident.