SEMO football player arrested for operating vehicle in careless manner

A Southeast Missouri State University football player was arrested by the state Highway Patrol for carelessly operating a motor vehicle Saturday, March 8.

According to the probable-cause statement, a Highway Patrol trooper passed the vehicle Tony Terry, 20, of Bufordville, Ohio, was driving as the trooper was northbound on a roadway that is redacted in the statement, and Terry started to follow the same route.

The probable cause states the officer decreased speed to try to get behind Terry because of the time of day, a business near them being closed and previous thefts from the business. The trooper wrote in the document that Terry was allegedly avoiding passing the patrol vehicle until he turned and then made a series of left turns.

The trooper then observed Terry allegedly failing to obey a red light, at which time, the document states, the trooper activated his emergency lights and tried to stop Terry.

"The driver committed several traffic offenses while fleeing from the traffic stop including exceeding posted speed limit 26 MPH or more, fail to maintain right half of roadway, fail to obey traffic control device, and followed another vehicle too closely. The pursuit traveled through residential and commercial areas with light vehicular traffic before traveling north on Interstate 55," the document states.

The probable cause states Terry allegedly continued driving at high speeds and almost hit other drivers. According to the trooper, once Terry exited the interstate, he drove down an embankment, turned around and drove the wrong way on a ramp. While pursuing Terry, the trooper lost sight of him when a vehicle hit a deer and he stopped pursuing. Which vehicle hit the deer is redacted in the probable cause.

Terry is a former Jackson High School athlete and was listed on SEMO's football team roster in 2024.

Terry is being held at Cape Girardeau County jail in lieu of a $50,000 bond.