Missouri: Police capture man accused of hitting St. Francois County deputy

The Park Hills (Mo.) Daily Journal reports that Donad Hornsey was captured late Tuesday evening. He was taken into custody without incident at 11 p.m. in a trailer located not far from where he abandoned a stolen truck and escaped on foot into the woods.

Earlier story:

Police searched woods near De Soto on Tuesday for a man who led officers on a car chase after he struck a St. Francois County deputy, officials say.

Authorities had not found the man Tuesday afternoon. Missouri Highway Patrol Cpl. Juston Wheetley identified the suspect as Donald Hornsey, 48, of the Valles Mines, Mo., area.

Wheetley said a St. Francois County deputy stopped to check on three men standing next to two vehicles stopped on Cedar Falls Road about a half-mile east of Desloge about 9:30 a.m. That's when Hornsey hopped into a red Ford pickup that belonged to one of the other men and drove at the deputy, Wheetley said.

The deputy had gotten out of his patrol vehicle to check on the men, Wheetley said. Police believe Hornsey fled because he is wanted by U.S. Marshal Service for a federal probation violation.

The deputy suffered minor leg injuries when the pickup hit him, but he still managed to fire several shots at the truck, authorities said. Wheetley said Hornsey may have been wounded by the deputy's shots but authorities weren't sure if he was hit.

The deputy was able to hold the other two men at gunpoint until backup arrived, Wheetley said. Those men, who have not been identified, were being questioned Tuesday. The 55-year-old deputy was treated at a hospital and released Tuesday evening.

Another deputy spotted the pickup along Highway 67 near St. Francois State Park. Police chased it several miles and onto Highway Y. The chase moved to rough back country roads, then the man jumped out of his truck and ran into some woods in De Soto near Jefferson County.

When the truck was found along Hillside Road, the driver's side rear window was broken out and the rear-view mirror on the passenger side was broken off.