December 7. 2023
MARION, ILLINOIS (NewsFirst) —
$250,000 + Worth of Drugs Seized
Williamson County, Illinois – On December 5, 2023, at 2122 hours Deputies with the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office observed a vehicle commit violations of the Illinois Vehicle Code.
Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle and it failed to yield continuing to travel northbound on Interstate 57 from mile post 60.
Williamson County Deputies continued the pursuit traveling northbound on Interstate 57 during which time the suspect passed multiple semi tractor trailers in the emergency lane, attempted to run Deputies off the roadway, and traveled at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour.
After traveling 115 miles to Effingham, Illinois, Williamson County Deputies terminated the pursuit by successfully performing a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver. The maneuver resulted in the disabling of the vehicle and the apprehension of the driver who was identified as Dejon D. Wooden of Los Angeles, California.
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 in excess of $250,000.
Wooden was cited for the following:
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
Improper Lane Usage
Wooden was transported to and remanded into the custody of 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”, stated Sheriff Jeff Diederich.
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank 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 for their assistance.
If you have any information concerning this or any other investigation, please contact the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office at 618.997.6541 or the Williamson County Crime Stoppers at 800.414.TIPS (8477). Your information is important, and all callers may remain anonymous.
One suspect was arrested and charged.
