Arrests made after vehicles refuse to yield to law enforcement in St. Clair County

Eric Woods

On Saturday evening July 16, several individuals were taken into custody after deputies were dispatched to assist Osceola Police Department with stopping two motorcycles traveling at a high rate of speed and failing to yield.

The motorcycles were originally traveling northbound on Highway 13. When they reached Lowry City they turned around and started traveling southbound on Highway 13. Several deputies joined in the attempt to stop the vehicles. While passing Highway 82 speeds reached approximately 135 miles per hour.

Near SE 650 Road, Collins, the motorcycles passed a truck pulling a trailer with four wheelers. The truck switched lanes in front of a deputy and prevented the deputy from continuing after fleeing motorcycles. One deputy stopped following the motorcycles and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the truck. The driver of the vehicle failed to yield to the deputy’s emergency lights and sirens and refused to pull over for several miles. Near the Polk County line, the driver of the truck slammed on his brakes and came to a complete stop in the middle of the lane. A felony traffic stop was conducted and the driver, Jeremy Schies, 31, Stockton, was arrested and later released pending a formal charge. A passenger, Trisha Zaring, was also arrested and taken into custody on an active warrant from Bolivar Police Department for failing to appear in court on a charge of not wearing a seat belt.
Other deputies continued south on Highway 13 toward Polk County attempting to stop the motorcycles. Two deputies from Polk County attempted a rolling road block and one of the motorcycles went between them and continued south on Highway 13. As they approached Highway 32, Bolivar, one motorcycle pulled over and stopped. 

A felony traffic stop was conducted on the motorcycle and the operator, Eric Woods, 21, Springfield, was taken into custody. Later the same day a warrant was issued for Woods charging him with class D felony resisting arrest by fleeing. Bond is set at $12,500 cash or surety. A passenger on the motorcycle, Toni Cannon, 19, Springfield, was taken into custody and later released pending a formal charge.

The second motorcycle eluded law enforcement and was not apprehended. The driver was identified and formal charges are pending.