There are plenty of ways people try to escape from the police. Some duck into neighborhoods; others abandon their vehicles and try their luck on foot.
According to Missouri authorities, one suspect took a route that few officers are likely to forget, jumping from his still-moving car before diving headfirst off a bridge into the river below. I wouldn’t have believed it myself if there wasn’t a video to prove it.
According to The New York Post, the suspect was driving a Chevrolet Malibu at 75 mph in a 45 mph zone before deputies activated their emergency lights. Authorities say he briefly entered a parking lot, looped around a building, and then accelerated away from pursuing deputies.
The Stone County Sheriff’s Office says the incident happened at around 1:55 am on July 18, when deputies attempted to stop a passenger car near the north end of Kimberling City. The driver, later identified as Gavin Thor Lundgren, refused to pull over and instead fled south.
The Pursuit Ended With a Headfirst Dive Into the River
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The pursuit took an unexpected turn when it reached the Kimberling City Bridge. According to the sheriff’s office, Lundgren stopped on the bridge, climbed out of the vehicle while it was still in drive, and dove over the side into the water below.
Dashcam footage obtained by 5News captured the chaotic moments that followed. One deputy can be heard over the radio saying, “Contact water patrol, he jumped over the bridge,” as several officers rushed to the bridge railing while others secured the suspect’s vehicle after it rolled to a stop.
Despite the dramatic jump, authorities said Lundgren survived the fall. According to Weather and News Around The 4 States, Lundgren resisted arrest after he was found, resulting in three deputies suffering minor injuries while taking him into custody.
The Suspect Now Faces Multiple Felony Charges
He now faces multiple charges, including resisting arrest by fleeing, careless driving, three counts of third-degree assault involving special victims, and resisting or interfering with arrest for a felony, according to his inmate information at the Stone County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.
He was officially booked on July 18 at 2:22 am, about twenty minutes after the initial incident happened. While there are no official accounts of whether Lundgren was injured as a result of the jump, he does appear to be bleeding from a wound on his face.
If convicted, Gavin Thor Lundgren can face up to 11 years behind bars with fines over $20,000.