CENTRALIA, IL — A 42-year-old Sandoval man was formally charged Monday in Marion County Court with 25 traffic violations stemming from a high-speed pursuit in January. Brian Hartnell was arrested last week when he allegedly returned to the scene to retrieve his truck that had become stuck during the pursuit. The sheriff’s department was reportedly called after Hartnell and another person went down the lane without landowner permission.

According to Centralia police, Hartnell successfully fled an attempted traffic stop in January that started at Rhodes and Elm. The pursuit wound through rural Centralia and Odin, before the pickup left the road and drove through a field. Officers were able to later identify the driver as Hartnell. He was charged Monday with Class 4 felony aggravated fleeing, nine counts improper turn signal, four counts disregarding a traffic-control device, misdemeanor driving while license suspended, two counts misdemeanor littering from a vehicle, misdemeanor speeding more than 35 mph over the limit, two counts misdemeanor speeding 26-34 mph over the limit, driving 21-25 mph over the limit, and driving 15-20 mph over the limit. Bail in the case has been set at $50,000.

Hartnell failed to appear in September for a court hearing in two 2019 Marion County cases charging him with delivery of methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine. Bail in those two cases was forfeited but the cases have now been reactivated.