Late night police chase ends in rollover crash

WOOD RIVER - What started as a minor traffic infraction ended with a rollover crash near Highway 111 and Interstate 255 late Thursday night. 

Wood River Deputy Police Chief Dan Bunt said the chase started when an officer from the Wood River Police Department attempted to stop a 1995 Pontiac allegedly being driven by Jacob Fenton, 21, of Edwardsville, near the intersection of Wood River Avenue and Edwardsville Road. Bunt said Fenton's license check came back as revoked and he had a misdemeanor warrant from Glen Carbon with a $15,000 bond and an additional felony warrant from the Pike County, Illinois Sheriff's Office with a $3,000 bond. He said Fenton fled the scene after the officer attempted to stop him. 

The ensuing chase began by crisscrossing the streets of Wood River. Bunt said officers chased Fenton through Wood River Avenue, onto Second Street, Whitelaw, Third Street and Fifth Street before Fenton allegedly returned to Wood River Avenue and continued into East Alton, traveling up Airline Drive. 

The chase ended when Fenton's Pontiac rolled after hitting what may have been a patch of ice near Highway 111 and I-255 between Wood River and Bethalto. 

"At 111 and 255, he may have hit some ice on the pavement," Bunt said. "He swerved back and forth and rolled." 

Bunt said speeds during the chase were in excess of 80 mph, approaching 90 and above at times. 

After the rollover, Bunt said Fenton was treated at the scene and taken to Alton Memorial Hospital, where he was treated further and released soon after into police custody. 

Besides the two outstanding warrants, Bunt said Fenton has three charges pending based on the results from blood and urine toxicology tests. Those charges include: driving while revoked, attempting to allude and failure to signal. 

Bunt said the case was still under investigation by the Wood River Police Department. 

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