A 28-year-old Centralia man is being held in the Marion County Jail on multiple charges following two chases, one where an officer was drug down the road and a second that started after he hit his estranged wife’s car head on.
The first incident involving Jerry Zappa of South Elm Street occurred Friday morning where an officer stopped a suspicious vehicle at Hester and Calumet. After learning Zappa was driving revoked he was asked to step out of his car. Instead, Zappa reportedly grabbed the wrist of the officer, put the car in gear, and drug the officer down the street until he was able to break the grip. The officer then got back into his squad car and became involved in a brief pursuit before Zappa’s vehicle was lost. The person who initially reported the suspicious vehicle told police Zappa told her he stalking his estranged wife.
The second incident occurred early Tuesday morning when Centralia Police reported receiving a 9-1-1 call from Zappa’s estranged wife who reported Zappa had just hit her car head on as she was leaving work. Zappa then reportedly began chasing his estranged wife around town. Zappa then fled police after they spotted him on the west side of the McCord Street overpass. The high speed chase continued into the Germantown area, where a Clinton County Sheriff’s Deputy successfully blew tires on Zappa’s vehicle with stop sticks. His vehicle then slid off the road into a bean field where Zappa was taken into custody without further incident.
Zappa was arrested following the Friday incident for aggravated battery to a police officer, aggravated fleeing, and driving on a revoked license.
He faces aggravated stalking, aggravated battery with a weapon (his car), violation of an order of protection, aggravated fleeing and eluding, and multiple traffic violations following the Tuesday morning incidents. Zappa was taken to the Marion County Jail to await a decision on formal charges.
