A 24-year-old Salem man faces multiple charges after leading police on a chase in a stolen pickup truck early Monday morning before driving it into a pond.
Central City Police say Tristan Rankin was able to swim out of the pond to the opposite shore where he then fled on foot. One of the Centralia canines’ was then used to track him leading to his eventual arrest.
After being treated for a collarbone injury at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia Rankin was taken to the Marion County Jail. He is being held for aggravated fleeing and eluding police, possession of a stolen vehicle, two counts of motor vehicle theft, resisting a peace officer, and criminal damage to property.
Central City Police initially tried to stop Rankin for driving a stolen vehicle at 1:34 Monday morning. He traveled north on US 51 to Community Beach Road and then proceeded down a driveway near the Norton Road intersection before eventually driving onto an ATV path into a pond.
Rankin then exited the sinking truck before swimming to the other side of the pond and fleeing on foot. The canine then tracked Rankin for about 20 minutes about 250 to 300 yards where he was located in a heavily wooded area.
Rankin was then taken into custody by Central City and Centralia Police without further incident.
The pickup truck had been stolen in Flora.
