St. Jacob teen charged with reckless driving, eluding Troy Police
Pursuit reached 120 mph with 2-year-old in suspect’s back seat
By Charles Bolinger
Editor • Hunter Stewart, 19, of St. Jacob led Troy Police Sgt. Jessica Callahan on a merry chase on June 30 at 10:15 p.m., according to her official incident field report.
“I was on stationary patrol in the 200 block of East US Highway 40,” she wrote. “My patrol vehicle was positioned facing east. A white passenger car drove past my location, traveling eastbound.”
Callahan noted that her in-car radar display clocked the car, a 2019 Toyota Corolla, traveling at 69 mph as it approached the 500 block of US 40, where the posted speed limit is 45 mph.
“Based on this violation, I [pursued] the vehicle to attempt a traffic stop,” she wrote. “ I attempted to close the distance between the suspect’s vehicle and mine but it appeared the vehicle continued to travel at a high rate of speed.”
She noted in her report that she activated her emergency lights on 40 near Cheshire. After that, the Corolla accelerated further and passed a gray truck, which was also eastbound on 40.
“The suspect’s vehicle passed the truck in such a manner [that] it appeared to run the truck out of the lane of traffic, almost causing the truck to strike a raised median. At no point did the suspect vehicle activate its turn signal when conducting this maneuver.
During the pursuit, traffic was light, she noted.
“From the point when I activated my emergency lights and up until the suspect’s vehicle came to a rest on Schlaefer Road, the Corolla traveled about 1.5 miles, even after emergency lights and siren were activated, signaling the driver to stop. At one point, I was traveling at about 120 mph to attempt to stop the suspect’s vehicle and I was having difficulty closing the distance.”
Once the Corolla came to a halt, Callahan identified the suspect, Hunter Stewart, and his car’s Florida registration. He provided Callahan with his driver’s license and valid proof of insurance for the car.
“While speaking with Stewart, he stated, ‘I’m sorry. I’m going home from seeing my wife. I’m just trying to get the f*** home. It’s been a long day.’ While speaking with him, I heard a child in the back seat, a two-year-old.
A computer inquiry of Stewart indicated no warrants and he has a valid driver’s license. The child’s mother, Jada Bruns, 20, arrived on scene and took possession of the child.
Stewart, however, was arrested for reckless driving and attempting to flee from/elude police. He was cuffed and put into the back of Callahan’s patrol vehicle. M&M Towing responded to take the Corolla from the scene.
At the Troy Police Department, Stewart was booked and received the following citations:
- Reckless driving
- Flee/attempt to Elude
- Improper turn signal
He was provided with his misdemeanor pretrial conditions of release which he acknowledged and signed. He was then released from custody. All body camera, in-car camera and LPR camera footage of the incident was uploaded to the department’s evidence drive.
