JEFFERSON COUNTY, IL — A routine traffic stop Thursday on I-57 at milepost 92 near Mt. Vernon leads to an officer-involved shooting in Tennessee where a Mississippi resident was taken into custody.
An ISP trooper initiated a traffic stop at 7:16am on August 6th. The trooper discovered items in the vehicle that led him to detain a 23-year-old Holly Springs, MS man for questioning. He was later released with no charges after it was determined the items in the vehicle were legally possessed.
The passenger, 40-year-old Dante D. Faulkner also of Holly Springs, took control of the vehicle and fled the scene with the Trooper still inside and trying to physically stop him. While the car was still moving, Faulkner attempted to push the Trooper out of the open door of the vehicle and after fleeing approximately 300 yards, Faulkner stopped the car and the Trooper safely exited – uninjured.
Police officers in western Kentucky would later locate the vehicle and pursue it into Tennessee, where the chase would end off Highway 45 East in a police officer involved shooting. Faulkner was taken into custody at that time and will face charges in Tennessee.
Jefferson County State’s Attorney Sean Featherstun obtained an arrest warrant for Faulkner for Aggravated Battery of a Police Officer with a $75,000 bail.