UPDATE: The sheriff's office identified the suspect who was shot Thursday afternoon by a deputy as Timothy J. Kalter, 31, from the Pacific and St. Louis areas.
Sheriff Gary Toelke said officers had been investigating Kalter in relation to several auto thefts in the area of the past few weeks and several times attempted to stop him for questioning but those attempts resulted in pursuits that at times exceeded 100 mph and deputies discontinued the chases due to safety concerns.
A warrant for Kalter's arrest on a felony probation violation was issued with a $75,000 bond.
The deputy who attempted to arrest Kalter at a Villa Ridge gas station sustained minor injuries, Toelke said. The deputy had reached into the window to grab the keys but Kalter drove off with the officer's arm still in the window.
The officer then fired twice into the car striking Kalter at least once.
The sheriff said Kalter was transported from Mercy Hospital Washington to Mercy Hospital St. Louis, Creve Coeur, later Thursday.
His condition was not known.
The sheriff has asked the Missouri Highway Patrol to investigate the shooting incident.
Earlier Story
A Franklin County deputy wounded a suspect Thursday afternoon while attempting to arrest the man at a Villa Ridge gas station.
The wounded man who fled in a stolen Ford Mustang was taken into custody shortly before 4 p.m. Thursday on westbound Interstate 44 east of the Gray Summit exit.
The seriousness of his injuries was not immediately known.
According to initial reports, deputies had been attempting to serve criminal warrants on the man for several days and Thursday afternoon had staked out the Gardenway Motel in the Gray Summit area where he was thought to be staying. When the suspect pulled up he saw the deputies and sped away.
The suspect eluded the deputies but was spotted a short time later pumping gas at the Petro Mart station at Highway AT and Route 100.
After the shooting, the man fled in the car eastbound on I-44, went into Pacific, then drove east on Old 66. He was last seen driving west on I-44 until he was captured near Gray Summit.
The sheriff’s office had not released the suspect’s name.
Authorities said the suspect was driving a car reported stolen from a Eureka car dealer.
Check back for updates on this breaking story and read the Weekend Missourian for more details.
