An 17-year-old male involved in a high speed chase earlier this month that involved the rear end of a Baxter County Sheriff’s Department vehicle being rammed is being charged as an adult and facing 27 offenses. According to the affidavit, Jayson George-Santoro of Mountain Home, who turned 17 years of age on Saturday, is facing three felony and 24 misdemeanor counts.The charges stem from an incident in the early morning hours of June 4 when a state police trooper reports he was running radar while sitting stationary on the Sheid-Hopper Bypass and clocked a westbound vehicle at 95 miles per hour.The trooper crossed the median in an attempt to catch the vehicle. The fleeing vehicle traveled down 9th Street into the Meadows subdivision, making multiple turns on multiple streets. A short time later, the vehicle turned back onto 9th Street and struck a Baxter County Sheriff’s Department vehicle on the right hand side. The sheriff’s vehicle had joined the pursuit along with a Mountain Home Police Department unit.After impact, the vehicle continued to evade and traveled throughout the city limits making multiple turns on multiple streets. The vehicle then turned onto West Ridge Road that leads to a dead end, causing the driver to continue into a field disabling the vehicle. At this point, the driver, later identified as George-Santoro, fled on foot and was apprehended about an hour later, a short distance from the vehicle lying under heavy brush. He was taken into custody without incident.
Two females in the vehicle were also transported to the police department and turned over to juvenile authorities.
During a search of the vehicle, a purple bag was located containing several small empty bags, a set of digital scales and over $2,100 in cash wrapped in hair ties. Also in the bag, was a small plastic bag containing a small amount of marijuana.
George-Santoro has been charged with fleeing by vehicle, aggravated assault involving a law enforcement officer and endangering the welfare of a minor, all felony counts,in addition to 24 misdemeanor offenses.
George-Santoro will appear in Baxter County Circuit Court. His bond is set at $10,000.
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