NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEBRASKA STATE PATROL
www.nsp.state.ne.us
Contact:  Deb Collins 402-479-4985
January 29, 2008   

Gas Drive Off Leads to Pursuit

(Lincoln, NE) – A 25-year-old Owasso, Oklahoma man is in custody after leading troopers and local law enforcement officers on a pursuit through Dawson County, following a failure to pay incident in North Platte, Nebraska. 

Shortly after 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 26, 2008, a Trooper spotted a vehicle matching the description of a car wanted in connection with a failure to pay at a gas station in North Platte.  The vehicle a white 1994 Camaro with red stripes was headed eastbound on Interstate 80 near Cozad, in Dawson County.  

The Trooper activated his lights and siren in an attempt to stop the vehicle.  The driver of the vehicle failed to pull over and continued down the Interstate at a high rate of speed before taking the Darr Exit.  The vehicle then continued southbound on a county road, before turning eastbound.  The pursuit continued on various county roads, before returning to Interstate-80.   At that time the vehicle again headed eastbound on the Interstate before exiting this time at the Lexington Interchange.  After exiting the Interstate the driver headed southbound on Highway 283, at one point driving through an RV Park, before continuing southbound on a county road.  The driver then lost control of the vehicle while attempting to negotiate a turn.  The Camaro left the roadway and was stuck in a ditch.

The driver of the vehicle 25-year-old Christopher Barton of Owasso, Oklahoma, was taken into custody without injury or incident.   He was lodged in the Dawson County Jail on numerous charges.  Barton was also wanted on an active Felony Warrant out of Oklahoma for Felony Probation Violation.

The Nebraska State Patrol was assisted in the pursuit by the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, the Lexington Police Department and the Lexington Volunteer Fire Department.

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