dejon-d-wooden

WILLIAMSON COUNTY — A 25-year-old Los Angeles, California man is in the Williamson County Jail following a 115-mile pursuit Tuesday night that ended in the seizure of approximately $250,000 worth of drugs.

According to the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department, the pursuit began around 9:22 Tuesday night, when deputies reportedly spotted a vehicle committing traffic violations.

As deputies attempted to make a traffic stop on the vehicle, it reportedly failed to stop and continued north on Interstate 57 around the 60-mile marker.

A pursuit ensured and reached speeds over 100 miles an hour as it continued north on I-57 with the suspect reportedly attempting to run deputies off the road.

The pursuit continued north into Effingham, where a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver was used to stop the vehicle and arrest the driver.

Dejon D. Wooden was taken into custody and 80.3 pounds of cannabis and 760 ounces of Promethazine – a nonnarcotic controlled substance — were seized from the vehicle.

Wooden was booked into the Williamson County Jail on charges including Class X felony Cannabis Trafficking and Possession with Intent to Deliver Cannabis, Class 2 felony, Controlled Substance Trafficking, Class 4 felony Aggravated Assault and Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding as well as numerous misdemeanor traffic offenses.

The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, Effingham Police Department, Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois State Police, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mt. Vernon Police Department assisted in the case.