Facebook post implicates suspect in Christmas Eve chase

A Cape Girardeau man is facing felony charges after a Facebook message incriminated him in a Christmas Eve police chase, authorities reported Thursday.

Jeremy Jacob Haynes, 24, is accused of fleeing from police who were looking for him in connection with a report of forgery at Schnucks, 19 S. Kingshighway, according to a probable-cause statement filed by Patrolman Michael Kidd of the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

Among the evidence against Haynes is a post on his Facebook page in which he bragged about eluding officers, Kidd wrote.

According to the probable-cause statement, on Dec. 24, Haynes posted: "Just goes to show you how highly trained out (sic) police are in cape. 17 vehicles total tried stopping me today and every one of them failed! Imma be pissed it I didn't make the news."

Prosecuting attorney Chris Limbaugh on Thursday charged Haynes with resisting arrest, a Class D felony.

In a news release Thursday, Limbaugh said Judge Gary Kamp set Haynes' bond at $15,000 cash only.

Police were summoned to Schnucks just after 11 p.m. Dec. 24 to follow up on a case in which several people were suspected of making forged drivers' licenses and attempting to pass forged checks, Kidd wrote in the probable-cause statement.

By the time Kidd arrived, another officer had arrested a suspect accused of trying to pass one of the checks, so Kidd looked for a suspect vehicle described as a single-cab blue or green Chevrolet Z71 pickup truck, he wrote.

Kidd saw a vehicle matching that description driving through the Kmart parking lot next to Schnucks, followed it and attempted to stop it on Independence Street, Kidd wrote.

The driver turned on his right-turn signal and hazard lights and continued to drive, turning south onto Sheridan Drive, Kidd wrote.

Another officer drove north on Sheridan Drive from William Street with his emergency lights and siren activated, at which point the driver stuck his hand out of the window of the truck and made an obscene gesture before accelerating through a gravel parking lot at the corner of William Street and Sheridan Drive, causing two wheels to come off the ground, Kidd wrote.

The truck turned onto William Street, nearly causing accidents in the process, and continued east, with Kidd pursuing it at 65 miles per hour and losing distance, Kidd wrote.

At the corner of William and South Sprigg streets, the truck turned into the Save-A-Lot parking lot -- where pedestrians and parked vehicles were present -- and onto Sprigg Street, traveling at a high rate of speed and disregarding traffic signals and other motorists as it crossed Independence Street and Broadway before Kidd ended the chase after losing sight of it at the intersection of North Sprigg and North streets, Kidd wrote.

Another officer identified the driver as Jeremy Haynes, Kidd wrote.

Online court records show a litany of prior offenses for Haynes dating to 2006, when he pleaded guilty to trespassing, speeding and trying to buy tobacco as a minor.

Haynes' other offenses include driving while revoked in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010; DWI in 2008; underage drinking in 2007 and 2009; disturbing the peace in 2008; marijuana possession in 2009; theft in 2010; property damage in 2011; and drug possession and fraudulent use of a credit or debit device in 2013.

DWI and driving while revoked charges are pending against him in Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court.

It was not immediately clear where -- or whether -- Haynes was in custody.

Darin Hickey, public information officer for the Cape Girardeau Police Department, said Haynes had outstanding warrants in Alexander County, Ill., and Scott County.

Online jail records did not list Haynes among the inmates in Scott or Cape Girardeau counties. Alexander County records were not immediately available.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

19 S. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, MO