Three braniacs and a car

GALESBURG — .Two men are in custody and another remains at large after the three led police on a high-speed chase through parts of Knox and Warren counties Friday afternoon.

David E. Fowler, 37, 234 Cottage Ave., and Timothy M. Olson, 18, 907 Fox Road, Knoxville, are in the Knox County jail after being arrested on numerous methamphetamine charges.

At 12:07 p.m. Friday, investigators of the Knox County Sheriff’s Department located items commonly used in the manufacture of crystal methamphetamine at St. Joe Road and Knox Road 100E. These items appeared to have recently been placed there and surveillance was set up in the event anyone returned for them.

A short time later, a purple Pontiac was seen stopping in the vicinity of the intersection. The driver of the vehicle exited and picked up a container. A marked Knox County Sheriff’s squad car attempted to stop the suspect vehicle but the driver ignored red lights and siren and drove off, south on Illinois 41 with speeds in excess of 90 mph.

Abingdon Police joined the pursuit when the vehicle entered that city. The suspect vehicle turned westbound on West Martin Street and continued out of Abingdon on Knox Highway 23, entering Warren County.

The pursuit continued into Berwick where the suspect vehicle drove through the town square. Damage was sustained to the vehicle but it continued west approaching the intersection of Berwick Road and 105th Street in Warren County. On entering the intersection, the vehicle lost control and entered a ditch. A Knox County Sheriff’s squad car was struck by the suspect vehicle as it was returning to the roadway. At 105th Street and 105th Avenue the suspect vehicle left the roadway and drove a distance into a cornfield. Three occupants fled the area on foot.

During the pursuit, numerous items were discarded from the suspect vehicle, later recovered by the Illinois Meth Response Team. The discarded items are used to manufacture meth.

Assisting in the search of the cornfield for the three suspects were the Knox County Sheriff’s Department, Abingdon Police Department, Warren County Sheriff’s Department and its K-9 unit, Illinois State Police and its K-9 unit and the State Police Air Support, Macomb Police Department and its K-9 unit and the Illinois Department of Conservation.

At about 5 p.m., Fowler and Olson were apprehended one mile east of where they abandoned their vehicle. The third suspect is still at large.

Fowler and Olson were charged with meth participation 400 to 900 grams, possession of meth manufacturing material, meth possession under five grams, meth conspiracy, possession of anhydrous ammonia and transporting ammonia in an unauthorized container.

Fowler also was charged with a Knox County warrant for meth manufacturing. Bond was set at $50,000. Both subjects are incarcerated awaiting appearances in Knox County Circuit Court.

http://www.galesburg.com/news/x769902509/High-speed-chase-ends-with-2-arrests-for-meth