By Beacon Staff
A former Danville man assaulted a Des Moines County deputy and fled from police on a stolen motorcycle Tuesday morning (July 27), reaching speeds of 90 mph in a construction zone before getting arrested.
Justin Wayne Trout, 42, formerly of Danville, is charged with eluding police (25 mph over the speed limit), speeding (25 mph over in a work zone), assault on a peace officer, driving the wrong way on a two-lane highway, first-offense drunken driving, interference with official acts, second-degree theft, driving while license revoked and a Lee County warrant for being absent from custody.
The incident and resulting high-speed chased started at 6:12 a.m. Tuesday in the 6000-block of US 61, when deputies were dispatched to a call of a motorcycle that was broken down in the ditch. The person who called the sheriff’s office said a male was standing next to the motorcycle and appeared to be under the influence of drugs.
When deputies arrived on the scene, they saw Trout sitting on the motorcycle. Trout was able to get the motorcycle running and attempted to drive south before deputies were able to speak with him. Trout then pulled into a nearby business, and deputies followed him. One of the deputies recognized the subject as Trout.
Trout gave the deputies a false name, and they believed he was under the influence of drugs. When deputies attempted to shut the motorcycle off and have Trout step off of it, he assaulted one of the deputies and drove off, heading south on US 61.
Trout drove the wrong way on the highway at over 90 mph, heading south in the northbound lane. Trout continued speeding into Lee County until his motorcycle stalled and rolled into a ditch, causing Trout to fly off the motorcycle. At that point, deputies were able to take Trout into custody.
Deputies learned that Trout had an outstanding arrest warrant from Lee County, and had stolen the motorcycle from a residence in Danville the previous night. He was taken to the hospital where he was cleared by hospital staff, then transported to the Des Moines County jail in Burlington.
Trout remains in the Des Moines County jail on a $63,000 bond.
