They were injured in a crash and taken to the hospital
A car chase in Jefferson City Thursday morning began after police suspected a vehicle to be involved in narcotics trafficking.
At about 8:30 a.m. in the 1400 block of Elizabeth Street., officers watched activity in and around the vehicle for some time. Two people got into the vehicle and left the area, with the officer following behind.
Noticing the vehicle had expired tags, the officer attempted to stop the driver near the intersection of Myrtle and Swifts Highway, but the driver of the vehicle failed to yield, and a pursuit began.
The chase continued westbound on Swifts Highway, then northbound on Southwest Boulevard. At the intersection of Southwest and Missouri, the passenger in the vehicle opened his door as if attempting to bail out of the vehicle, but the vehicle continued instead eastbound on Missouri at a high rate of speed.
The pursuit continued until the suspect vehicle attempted to make a right to travel onto westbound US 54, when the driver appeared to lock up his brakes, skidding into a tractor trailer that was stopped at Highway 54 and Missouri.
Due to injuries to the driver and passenger, Jefferson City Fire Department personnel and Cole County EMS were summoned to the scene. Both were taken by EMS to area hospitals for treatment.
The driver, 33-year-old Bruce Dudenhoeffer of Jefferson City, was arrested for suspicion of intoxicated driving, driving with a revoked license, second degree assault, an outstanding warrant out of Callaway County and possession of methamphetamine and narcotics paraphernalia.
The passenger, 29-year-old Justin Thurston of Jefferson City, was arrested for a Cole County warrant, as well as possession of methamphetamine and narcotics paraphernalia.
The driver of the tractor trailer was not hurt, nor was the pursuing officer.
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