Multi-County High Speed Pursuit Leads to Arrest of St. Louis Woman

A multi-county high speed chase Wednesday afternoon led to the arrest of a St. Louis resident.

According to information released by Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox, his office was notified at 3:27 P.M. of a Carroll County deputy attempting to stop a white SUV that was driving in excess of 100 miles-per-hour but had lost sight of the vehicle in Livingston County on Highway 65 near H highway.

Livingston County authorities then encountered the vehicle at the Grand River bridge construction area and clocked the SUV at 60 miles-per-hour in a 35 miles-per-hour zone, with workers present. When they attempted to initiate a stop of the vehicle the female driver took the SUV to eastbound 36 highway and accelerated to speeds near 120 miles-per-hour.

The suspect vehicle would make it to Linn County before the SUV’s engine blew and came to a stop just east of the Meadville junction.

The vehicle’s lone occupant, 37-year-old St. Louis resident Stephanie Diane Byrd, was taken into custody without further incident. She has been charged in Livingston County with felony resisting arrest by flight, excessive speed 118 in a 65, 60 in a 35 construction zone with workers present and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. Carroll County authorities also issued Byrd citations.

Byrd was booked into the Daviess-DeKalb Regional Jail to await filing of formal charges.