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KAMPSVILLE - What turned out to be a bad day for an Alton hair stylist became even worse Tuesday afternoon when a suspect stole his truck and later crashed near Detroit after a spectacular police chase.
Papa Toodles owner/hair stylist Wade Gibson was already in Alton at Alton Memorial Hospital for medical treatment Tuesday morning with James Palmer, who is also a stylist at the salon. During treatment, he received a call that his truck had been stolen and crashed after a police chase near Detroit.
“Wade’s truck is likely totaled,” Palmer said, while Gibson was being treated. “Luckily, we weren’t there. I drove my car to the hospital and we left his truck at the campsite.”
Gibson’s 2013 Ford Lairot F150 Eco Boost truck was parked at the campground.
“This just about threw us over the edge,” Palmer said. “The air bags were deployed in the crash and the axle is ripped. The truck is a mess. It has been a crazy day for me and Wade.”
Palmer said the suspect apparently drove about 20 miles going 65 to 75 mph with only three tires and a rim on one tire, which seems nearly impossible. There was only a rim left when authorities confiscated Wade’s truck.
The suspect in the case drove his vehicle into the Illinois River, then proceeded to swim across the river to evade police. When the man approached the shore near Kampsville, he encountered Wade’s sister, Debbie Becker. Becker said everything happened in a hurry but she thought the man was in his late to mid 20s. The man appeared medium built she said and did not speak to her.
Becker has a cabin near where Wade’s truck and camper were parked at the Kampsville campground. Last Tuesday, Becker opened the Pavillion Restaurant, already a hit in Kampsville.
Becker saw the man swimming across the river and thought he was disoriented after he ran his vehicle into the river. She wanted to help the man and signaled for him to swim near the campsite, then the Kampsville Ferry people instructed her over loud speaker the man was a fugitive and not to help him. She said she was mortified at that point and didn’t know exactly what to do. A boat was cruising up the river toward Hardin and headed over to grab a few officers at her instruction, then came back quickly with police to race after the suspect.
“I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” she said.
“I got my dogs and I knew the police who were coming over in the boat would be there in seconds,” she said. “I saw that he saw Wade’s truck. I don’t know if he went in the camper or not, but I lost track of him for a few seconds. It wasn’t a few seconds later he got the truck and headed north.”
When police officers arrived, she bravely gave them her vehicle to chase after the suspect.
She said when the officers returned later they thanked her for her help and letting them use the vehicle.
“I will be honest, I wanted them to get him,” she said. “I was really mad when I found out he was trying to escape from police and he took Wade’s truck. I am glad no one was hurt and everyone is safe. The situation could have ended up a lot worse.”
