Joplin man arrested after pursuit that began in Galena

A man from Joplin is in custody after a vehicle pursuit that started in Galena, Kansas.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office says it all began when they got calls about a vehicle driving erratically entering the Galena city limits.

A Galena Police Officer located the vehicle and witnessed the vehicle run a stop sign. The officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver immediately accelerated and fled from the officer and a pursuit was initiated, which led from Galena to rural Cherokee County.

Deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office joined in the pursuit of the vehicle. The vehicle was traveling north on Hwy 69a and continued driving erratically while passing cars on the shoulder and at one point attempted to hit a responding Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy head-on.

The Galena Officer asked deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, who are certified to conduct a Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI), to take over primary on the pursuit.

The vehicle entered Missouri and continued to the area of Zora and Main in Joplin, where Deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office were able to successfully conduct a TVI.

The vehicle came to a stop and the driver, who was identified as Walter Whitlow was taken into custody and transported to the Joplin City Jail.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office will be submitting charges to the Cherokee County Attorney’s Office for the criminal actions that occurred in Kansas.