Centralia man charged for high-speed chase appears for court hearing
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Centralia man charged with several felonies after a chase went through a soybean field had a hearing on Wednesday.
Clarence Williams, 35, was charged in September with illegal gun possession, receiving stolen property, resisting arrest, delivery of a controlled substance, first-degree property damage and misdemeanor reckless driving. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond.
Williams appeared in court by video from the jail on Wednesday. A confined docket hearing was scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11 and a preliminary hearing is set for 9 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 2.
According to one of the probable cause statements filed, Centralia police attempted to pull over Williams’ vehicle for active felony warrants. He initially stopped, but then sped away and drove more than 90 miles per hour through Centralia, the statement says.
Williams drove through several intersections with stop signs and his vehicle became airborne after driving over railroad tracks, the statement says. He then drove through a soybean field and caused about $13,000 worth of damage before crashing his vehicle, according to court documents. Williams got out of the vehicle and tried to hide in the soybean field, but was found by a K-9, the statement says.
Officers also found a gun outside of the vehicle and ammunition in the vehicle, the statement says. The gun was reported stolen from St. Louis in 2022, the statement says.
Williams had a warrant for a forgery charge from Randolph County, the statement says. He pleaded guilty on Nov. 6 to forgery in Randolph County, was sentenced to 90 days in jail and was given credit for time served.
