Man accused of stealing car, leading law enforcement on chase through school zone
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Columbia man was charged with a pair of felonies after he was accused of stealing a car at a gas station and leading law enforcement on a chase around 3:20 p.m. Thursday.
Heath Thalgott, 26, was charged with first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle and aggravated fleeing. He is being held at the Boone County Jail on a $10,000 bond. Thalgott appeared for an arraignment Friday afternoon by video from the jail.
A confined docket hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19 and a preliminary hearing was set for 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 10.
According to the probable cause statement, the owner of 2007 Ford Taurus reported the car stolen after their son and Thalgott went to a gas station, the owner’s son gave Thalgott the keys because he wanted to wait in the vehicle, and Thalgott took off with the car.
Thalgott allegedly was heading west on Business Loop 70 and tried to cover his face while driving by a Boone County Sheriff’s deputy, the statement says. The deputy turned on his lights and Thalgott pulled over, but sped away after the deputy got out of his patrol vehicle, the statement says.
Thalgott drove north on Stadium Boulevard toward Route E while speeding more than 70 miles per hour, the statement says. Thalgott allegedly drove through a school zone and passed multiple vehilces on the shoulder of the road, including a school bus, court documents say.
He stopped and gave himself up to law enforcement after about three miles, the statement says.
