A high-speed chase in Centralia Wednesday night went down one of the Centralia Municipal Airport runways.
47-year-old Christopher Beal of South Goodwin in Kinmundy eventually stopped on his own and was taken into custody on multiple traffic and drug charges. He was given a notice to appear for possession of 15 to 100 grams of methamphetamine, criminal damage and criminal trespass to airport property, aggravated fleeing police, reckless driving, driving on a suspended license, speeding 35 miles per hour over the speed limit, resisting a peace officer, unlawful possession of cannabis by a driver, operating a vehicle without insurance and multiple traffic charges.
Centralia Police say they had been watching a car parked in the Huck’s parking lot that didn’t have a license plate. The vehicle then fled after Centralia Police attempted a traffic stop, eventually traveling over 100 miles per hour while eastbound on Calumet. Beal allegedly continued past the end of Calumet and through a fence into the airport property. After going down the east-west runway, the car exited onto Patriot Road. After turning onto Schwartz Road the vehicle continued to just south of Route 161 where the driver reportedly stopped on his own.
After finding multiple small baggies ripped open and a white power inside the interior of the car, the canine was deployed. A total of 16.5 grams of meth was recovered along with 8.5 grams of cannabis.
Beal was on parole, but the Illinois Department of Corrections declined to take him back into custody based on the new arrests. He also declined hospital treatment for any injury.
