A 58-year-old Salem man is in the Marion County Jail on multiple charges after allegedly leading Jefferson and Marion County Sheriff’s Deputies and Salem Police on a two-county high speed chase Sunday night that ended in Salem.
Earl Morlan of West Warmoth Street was arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle, aggravated fleeing and eluding, driving on a revoked license, improper lane usage and a felony retail theft charge filed by Central City Police.
Reports indicate the chase began on Route 37 on the north side of Mt. Vernon when a Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted to stop a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed.
Speeds up Route 37 topped 100 miles per hour. As Marion County Sheriff’s Deputies picked up the chase, Salem Police set out stop sticks near the Calvary Church on Route 37 South and flattened a tire on the pickup. The chase then proceeded through downtown Salem at a slower speed before Morlan
stopped the vehicle on Mills Cart Road and attempted to get out. However, he gave up when several officer pulled their weapons. The Marion County Sheriff’s Department reports the pickup truck had not been returned from a test drive on Saturday at a home off the Kinlou Road in rural Kinmundy. A car left behind in the driveway turned out to have been stolen from a home in the 1500 block of Mills Cart Road in Salem sometime before early Saturday morning.
Central City Police say they filed the felony retail theft case because Morlan had earlier allegedly left the Central City Phillips 66 station in the stolen pickup later involved in the chase without paying for gas and cigarettes after a debit card was declined. He had left his ID until he returned with money, but never returned.
