A Sunday traffic stop in Vandalia, escalated into a short pursuit before ending safely.
At about 4:45 p.m. on December 21, a deputy with the Audrain County Sheriff’s Office noticed a motorcycle run a stop sign at Highway 54 and South Main Street.
The rider, 23-year-old Jonathan Mason Poulin of Vandalia, refused to stop and sped away.
After several city blocks, Poulin pulled onto the shoulder near South Walnut Street and West Walsh Boulevard, where deputies arrested him without further incident.
Poulin told authorities he fled to avoid having his motorcycle towed for no proper license.
He was transported to the Audrain County Jail as prosecutors prepare formal charges.
Officials emphasize that fleeing from law enforcement is a felony in Missouri due to the danger it poses to motorists, pedestrians, and officers.