A 35-year-old Centralia man is being held in the Marion County Jail on multiple charges after leading Centralia Police on a high speed auto chase Tuesday afternoon that ended in a crash and foot pursuit. Melvin Creps of South Pine is being held in the Marion County Jail for alleged driving on a suspended or revoked license, fleeing or eluding police, reckless driving, possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest. Centralia Police say they initially tried to make a traffic stop in the 200 block of South Walnut.
Creps reportedly sped away in his vehicle, with speeds in the chase reaching over 70 miles per hour on Brookside Avenue near 17th. Creps lost control at the T-intersection at Brookside and Center Street and skidded into a utility pole before going down an embankment. He then reportedly ran on foot into a creek. Centralia Police attempted to taze Creps when he initially refused to stop. However, a few minutes later Creps put his hands up and surrendered. Police say a search of the car turned up a white flaky material in a tightly wrapped corner of a plastic baggie that field tested positive for cocaine. full story
