Once again, sheriff's K9 officer Iro has been a very good boy.
According to Callaway County Lt. Curtis Hall, deputies initiated an overnight pursuit of a stolen truck west of Fulton. Iro located and helped capture one suspect, while another was on the loose west of Fulton early Wednesday.
Patrolling deputies attempted to do a traffic stop on a truck in the Millersburg area 1:34 a.m. They reported the truck was on Route J near County Road 342, south of Millersburg, when the driver made a traffic violatation. When deputies tried to pull it over, the vehicle sped off, leading deputies on a pursuit onto County Road 334 and eventually onto County Road 323.
The vehicle subsequently entered a field off County Road 323, stopped, and the occupants fled on foot. Deputies then determined the vehicle had been stolen.
The Missouri Highway Patrol, Fulton police and the sheriff's K9 unit responded to assist with an extensive search.
At 1:52 a.m., Iro located one of the vehicle occupants, Candace Chilton-Gatten, 36, of Fulton, hiding about 150 yards deep into the woods. Chilton-Gatten was taken into custody.
After searching for several hours, the second vehicle occupant was not located. A warrant application will be forwarded to the Callaway County Prosecuting Attorney regarding the outstanding occupant.
Chilton-Gatten was transported to the Callaway County Jail where she was booked/processed for tampering with a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, and an unrelated Fulton municipal traffic warrant. She is being held on a court-set bond of $1,032.50.
Residents in the County Road 323, County Road 334 and Route F area are strongly encouraged to account for any vehicles on their property that may have been left unlocked overnight with keys inside. In situations as this, especially when one stolen vehicle is recovered, a local vehicle is sometimes stolen to assist suspects in fleeing the area.