Williamson County deputies foil narcotics suspects’ flight

WILLIAMSON Co., Ill., (KBSI) – A traffic stop in Williamson County, Illinois, turned into a lengthy pursuit on March 26, 2025, when deputies attempted to pull over a vehicle leaving a residence suspected of narcotics sales.

Deputies observed the vehicle commit a traffic violation and saw an object thrown from the passenger window. The vehicle failed to yield, and the suspects fled into Franklin County.

Two rear-seat passengers surrendered to West Frankfort police officers, while the driver, Joseph W. Worley, and passenger, Whitney N. Scott, continued to flee. The vehicle eventually came to rest on a dead-end private farm road, where Worley and Scott surrendered.

A search of Worley yielded three used hypodermic syringes testing positive for methamphetamine and a small amount of cannabis. A probable cause search of the vehicle found a small amount of cannabis belonging to Scott.

Worley received citations for:

Aggravated fleeing and eluding
Reckless conduct
Reckless driving
Speeding
Possession of drug paraphernalia
Possession of adult-use cannabis in a motor vehicle
Multiple traffic infractions

Scott received a citation for possession of adult-use cannabis in a motor vehicle.

Both Worley and Scott were taken into custody at the Williamson County Jail. The two passengers who surrendered were released without charges.

Deputies searched the 14-mile route the suspects took during the pursuit but were unable to locate the suspected narcotics thrown from the vehicle.