Armed Robbery Suspect Arrested in Johnson County After High-speed Pursuit

On Saturday night around 9:53 p.m., a Pettis County Deputy was patrolling in the area of US 50 Highway near Carroll Road in La Monte when he spotted a vehicle traveling westbound at a high rate of speed.

The Deputy's vehicle-mounted radar collected a speed on the vehicle of 94 miles per hour in a posted 65 mile per hour speed zone.

The Deputy turned around and attempted to overtake the vehicle to conduct a traffic stop. As the Deputy was attempting to catch the vehicle it began to travel at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. The Deputy activated his emergency lights and sirens and the vehicle refused to stop and a pursuit was initiated.

The vehicle fled into Johnson County, whose dispatch center was notified. The vehicle traveled through the construction zone on US 50 Highway near Highway D and struck several cones. Deputies continued the pursuit due to the low amount of traffic in the area. The vehicle then turned north on Highway 23 and then onto Highway MM, before turning west onto NE 175th Road.

The vehicle continued to flee at high rates of speed and eventually drove down a long driveway where it blacked out by turning off its head and tail lights. A Deputy also turned into the driveway and the vehicle turned its lights back on and began to accelerate rapidly towards the Deputy.

The Deputy attempted to pull into the yard of the residence to avoid a collision however the suspect vehicle veered towards the Deputy, who had to accelerate out of the way to avoid a collision. The vehicle then veered back onto the driveway and continued to flee on NE 175th Road.

The vehicle eventually came back out onto US 50 Highway and fled east bound and then south bound on 23 Highway where it began passing other motorists on the shoulder. After passing Whiteman Air Force Base the vehicle began to stop due to malfunctions. The driver, later identified as 22-year-old Samuel Eli Lynch of Grain Valley, then exited the vehicle with a ski mask on and began fleeing south on foot with Deputies in pursuit. Lynch jumped a cattle gate into a field.

Deputies followed and as a Deputy was crossing the gate, Lynch produced a handgun. Lynch faced towards the Deputies with the handgun but tripped and fell onto his back, causing him to drop the handgun next to him. Deputies gave Lynch commands not to reach for the gun and were able to push up and kick the gun away from Lynch before taking him into custody.

Lynch was taken back to the scene and searched incident to arrest. A glass pipe was found on Lynch who stated it had Fentanyl in it. Lynch also stated there was Fentanyl in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed counterfeit “Perc30” fentanyl pills, suspected Heroin and other paraphernalia as well as another loaded gun.

It was determined that Lynch and the other three occupants of the vehicle had allegedly committed an armed robbery approximately three hours prior in the Johnson County area near Warrensburg. Lynch and the others in the vehicle, as well as the vehicle itself, the firearms and the narcotics were released to Johnson County for their investigation into the robbery. Lynch was booked in at 1:13 p.m. Sunday.

In Johnson County, Lynch now faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child, 1st degree burglary, armed criminal action, 2nd degree assault special victim, resisting arrest, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

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Charges are being submitted through the Pettis County Prosecutors Office for Resisting Arrest by Fleeing creating a substantial risk of death or injury, Assault – 1st degree – Special Victim, Unlawful use of a Weapon – Subsection 4 – Exhibiting, Armed Criminal Action, Careless and Imprudent driving, and driving while revoked/suspended.

“The pursuit and overall incident consisted of help from the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office, Pettis County Joint Communications, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, the Knob Noster Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Thank you to all assisting agencies in getting these suspects in custody,” commented Pettis County Sheriff Brad Anders.