18-year-old man accused of leading Greene County law enforcement on chase in stolen truck

SPRINGFIELD, Missouri (KY3). A Greenfield man has been charged after leading law enforcement on a chase in Springfield Thursday night.

According to court records, 18-year-old Vernon Richmond is charged with aggravated fleeing the scene of a stop or arrest and first-degree motor vehicle failure.

According to the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, around 9:00 p.m., a deputy overheard a scanner alerting Springfield police officers that a stolen Dodge pickup had fled from officers.

The deputy then says he was in the area of Kansas Expressway and Division Street when he saw a stolen truck in front of him. The deputy then began to pursue Richmond, but said the driver did not stop and was driving eastbound on Commercial Street in a careless and reckless manner.

Investigators say the chase continued when the truck briefly veered off the road at the traffic circle at the intersection of Commerce and Washington avenues. A few minutes later, the truck went into a ditch on High Street near Washington.

Authorities say Richmond is a well-known police officer and has been involved in burglaries, car thefts, illegal drugs, weapons offenses and resisting law enforcement. When authorities arrested Richmond, he had a gun in his waistband.

Investigators say Richmond had three outstanding warrants from Dade County. Those charges in Dade County include theft, forgery and burglary.

Richmond is being held in the Greene County Jail without bond.

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