More than $250K worth of drugs seized after 115 mile police chase in southern IL

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Ill. (KBSI) – A California man faces multiple felony and other charges after police seize more than $250,000 worth of drugs after a police chase in Williamson County.

Dejon D. Wooden of Los Angeles, California faces charges of cannabis trafficking (Class X felony), possession with intent to deliver cannabis (Class X felony), controlled substance trafficking (Class 2 felony), aggravated assault (Class 4 felony), aggravated fleeing and eluding (Class 4 felony), reckless driving (Class A misdemeanor), speeding 35+ (Class A misdemeanor), driving on shoulder, disobeying stop sign and improper lane usage.

Deputies with the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office saw a vehicle commit violations of the Illinois Vehicle Code on Tuesday, December 5 around 9:22 p.m.

Deputies tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver failed to yield continuing to travel northbound on Interstate 57 from mile post 60, according to deputies with the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

The continued the chase traveling northbound on Interstate 57. That’s when deputies say Wooden passed multiple semi tractor trailers in the emergency lane, tried to run deputies off the road, and traveled at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour.

After traveling 115 miles to Effingham, Williamson County deputies performed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver. That maneuver resulted in the disabling the vehicle.

Wooden was arrested.

Deputies recovered 80.3 pounds of cannabis and 760 ounces of Promethazine, a schedule 2 narcotic, from the vehicle. The street value of these drugs is estimated to be more than $250,000.

Wooden was taken to the Williamson County Jail.

“The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and it’s Deputies are committed to disrupting criminal activity. Drug interdiction is only one example of the steps we take every day to ensure public safety,” said Sheriff Jeff Diederich.

The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, Effingham Police Department, Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois State Police, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Mt. Vernon Police Department assisted the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.