Jefferson City resident pleads guilty in chase case

A Jefferson City resident pleaded guilty this week to multiple charges in connection with a December 2018 chase with authorities.

Ariyan Akins, 18, pleaded guilty during a hearing before Moniteau County Judge Peggy Richardson to felony resisting arrest, along with five misdemeanors: failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, operating a vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance and speeding.

For the felony, Richardson placed Akins on five years of supervised probation.

For the misdemeanors, Richardson ordered Akins to pay $1,750 in fines plus an undetermined amount of court costs.

Moniteau County deputies were contacted by Moniteau County 911 for a careless and imprudent driver traveling east on U.S. 50 from the Syracuse area Dec. 27, 2018, according to authorities. The vehicle was traveling at speeds in excess of 100 mph and passing cars on the shoulder of the roadway.

Deputies headed to the area and located the vehicle traveling east on U.S. 50, just east of Tipton.

As the vehicle met the deputies, it passed several more cars still traveling at a high speed. Deputies turned around and attempted to catch up to the vehicle, eventually getting behind it on U.S. 50 near California. At that point, deputies said, the vehicle was traveling at speeds near 130 mph.

The pursuit entered Cole County then Jefferson City, where the vehicle struck another vehicle and continued to flee a short distance until it lost control and crashed into a ditch.

The driver, Akins, was taken into custody.

Authorities searched the vehicle and Akins and reportedly found marijuana and drug paraphernalia.