Police chase ends in car crash near Percy Tuesday

Illinois State Police at District 13 said late Tuesday that a police chase in Randolph County earlier in the day ended in a car crash.

Shane D. Smith, 48, of Union City, was the driver of the 2000 GMC Jimmy SUV who police say refused to stop when ordered, according to a state police news release.

Smith and the driver of another vehicle, Joseph H. Durham, 53, of Percy, sustained unspecified injuries.

Durham was driving a 2013 GMC 2500 HD pickup truck.

The wreck occurred about 9:56 a.m. on Illinois 150 at Streamline Road west of Percy. The Randolph County Sheriff's Department said it received a complaint about a reckless driver. A sheriff's deputy located the vehicle six miles north of Chester and tried to make a stop but the driver fled and later turned east onto Illinois 150 toward Steeleville, state police said.

Although the Steeleville police deployed stop sticks a mile east of Steeleville, which the vehicle did strike, it continued through Steeleville and to the west edge of Percy.

There, the driver attempted to pass a vehicle as he approached Chestnut Street. In order to avoid striking an oncoming semi, Smith reportedly swerved back into the east bound lane and struck Durham's vehicle in the rear, which was also east bound on Illinois 150. The impact caused Durham's vehicle to leave the roadway and strike an embankment. Smith's vehicle rolled over numerous times and came to rest in the roadway, state police said. Charges are pending.