Scott County deputy crashes, driving wrong way on I-55; second such crash involving a deputy in just over a year

A Scott County deputy, who was driving the wrong way on Interstate 55, was injured early Sunday in a crash while driving his patrol car. It was the second wrong-way crash involving a deputy from the sheriff’s department in just over a year.

Deputy Jason Vishe, 34, of Sikeston, Missouri, was driving southbound in the northbound lane of the interstate at the time of the crash in New Madrid County, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.

The crash, which was reported at 6:30 a.m., occurred 4 miles north of New Madrid, the patrol said on its website.

Vishe’s patrol car struck a northbound tractor trailer driven by Kristhian Marlon, 40 of Orlando, Florida. Marlon was not injured in the crash. The truck suffered only minor damage and was driven from the scene, according to the patrol.

Vishe suffered “minor” injuries and was transported by ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, the patrol said.

Ron Merideth, a captain with the Scott County Sheriff’s Department, said Vishe was still hospitalized Monday.

Vishe was “not chasing anybody” at the time of the crash, Merideth said.

Vishe was off duty at the time. His shift ended at 5 a.m. Sunday, according to Merideth.

The patrol is investigating the crash, he said.

Merideth said Vishe was tested to see whether he was the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the traffic crash.

“I know he wasn’t drunk,” Merideth said Monday.

The department captain said he did not know how fast Vishe was driving, but “he couldn’t have been going real fast.”

The truck driver was able to swerve to avoid a head-on crash, avoiding a potentially deadly collision, Merideth said.

“God and luck was there yesterday morning,” he said Monday.

The patrol car was totaled, Merideth said.

Vishe began working for the sheriff’s department in June, according to the officer’s LinkedIn online, professional networking page.

He previously was involved in at least one vehicle crash while a Miner, Missouri, police officer, according to a law enforcement source.

Miner City Clerk Darrin Skinner would not confirm or deny Vishe was involved in one or more crashes while a police officer. Skinner said Vishe was terminated Jan. 31 after serving as a police officer for about a year. Skinner did not disclose why Vishe was terminated.

Skinner said Vishe began working part time for the Miner Police Department on Jan. 18, 2018, before taking a full-time position with the department Feb. 27, 2018.

Before working as a police officer in Miner, Vishe served two different stints with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety (DPS).

Vishe served with DPS from Sept. 7, 2008, to May 20, 2011, and from Oct. 2, 2015 to Nov. 25, 2017, according to Sikeston city manager Jonathan Douglass.

On Aug. 19, 2018, another deputy, James Britton, exceeded 120 mph while driving the wrong way on Interstate 55 to join a pursuit in progress before totaling his patrol vehicle at the Benton, Missouri, exit, the Southeast Missourian reported last year.

Britton, who sustained minor injuries, subsequently resigned.

Ryan Dennis, who was chief deputy at the time of the incident, said Britton was pursuing a suspect when he drove up an on-ramp toward Highway 77 in Scott County.

He lost control of the patrol car, ran off the road and struck a metal guardrail, according to reports filed by the highway patrol.

State trooper B.A. Pratt cited excessive speed, an improper turn and the fact Britton was going the wrong way as contributing factors in the crash.

Deputies found to exhibit “willful or reckless disregard for the safety of others” are subject to a 30-day suspension for a first offense, according to the Scott County Sheriff’s Office disciplinary guidelines.

Dennis, however, said Britton’s actions the night of the crash did not violate department policy.

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