SUSPECT ALLEGEDLY FIRED ‘ABOUT 30’ TIMES THROUGH THE SUNROOF
A police pursuit that began near St. Joseph and featured shots being fired at a state trooper ended with arrests in northern Platte County last Wednesday, July 19.
Two St. Joseph residents face multiple charges in Buchanan County in the incident. Charged are Sayley S. Wilfong, 19, and Cordell Eugene Mondaine, Jr., 31.
Charges include unlawful use of a weapon, resisting arrest, armed criminal action and attempted assault.
In court documents, Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Chris Kottwitz details his involvement in the pursuit, which featured shots being fired at his vehicle from the suspect’s vehicle.
The trooper says at about 5:03 p.m. he was notified that St. Joseph police were in pursuit of a tan GMC Yukon, with the driver of the vehicle alleged to have recently been involved in a shooting. St. Joseph police terminated their pursuit as the vehicle traveled eastbound on Hwy. 6.
About 35 minutes later while eastbound on US-36 east, the trooper says he observed the Yukon traveling westbound. The trooper turned around to catch up to the vehicle, which appeared to rapidly accelerate. The Yukon continued traveling westbound at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour, according to police.
Four minutes after he began the pursuit, the trooper says he heard several loud pops and the Yukon’s rear glass shattered as the vehicle took the exit to travel south on I-29. As the pursuit continued, the trooper says he observed the front seat passenger fire several shots through the vehicle’s sunroof and the vehicle began passing motorists using the shoulder of the interstate at a high rate of speed.
Police say the Yukon exited I-29 at Faucett, and the female passenger began firing several shots in the direction of the trooper’s vehicle. The Yukon then traveled back onto the onramp to I-29 and continued southbound, traveling at speeds of 90-100 mph. At 5:52 p.m., the trooper says he observed a laser pointed from the vehicle near his head and torso.
The pursuit traveled into Platte County at speeds of 90 mph, police say. According to the allegations, the female pointed the gun from the sunroof and fired several shots in the direction of the trooper’s vehicle. The vehicle exited I-29 at Dearborn at a high rate of speed and at 5:57 the vehicle entered the Trex Mart gas station lot. Police say the vehicle erratically traveled around the gas station before heading east on Hwy. Z, with the male driver now raising his arms through the sunroof and also waving his hands out of the driver’s window.
The Yukon traveled north on July Street and east on Second Street at Dearborn, which came to a dead end. It then traveled through a residential yard and re-entered Hwy. Z at a high rate of speed. The suspects then traveled southbound on Hwy. EE at about 80 mph.
The suspects’ vehicle came to a stop about two miles south of Hwy. Z. According to the trooper, at 6:02 both occupants were taken into custody without further incident.
Shortly thereafter, a second trooper, assisted by his K9, located a Glock 19 9mm gun on Hwy. Z across from the Dollar General at Dearborn. Police say the gun was affixed with a laser.
According to allegations in the statement of probable cause, Mondaine told the trooper that he did not stop because he was high on ecstasy. Mondaine denied any involvement with the firearm. Police say a computer check revealed he was a convicted felon and could not possess a firearm.
According to the statement of probable cause, Wilfong, the passenger, told the trooper “I wasn’t shooting to kill you, I was shooting to get you off my ass.” She allegedly told police she fired the gun about 30 times, allegedly saying she had re-loaded the magazine twice and was shooting through the sunroof.
Both suspects are being held in jail in Buchanan County without bond.