A 23-year-old man is facing a criminal charge of aggravated fleeing in connection to a car pursuit that left an Osage Beach police officer dead early Saturday morning.
Christopher Aaron Bishop Wehmeyer, of Camdenton, is accused of causing a death by aggravated flight from a police stop, a Class A felony that carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. A spokesman for Osage Beach police confirmed the criminal charge had been filed by the Camden County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in an email to The Star on Monday.
Records show Wehmeyer is held without bond in the Camden County jail. No court records were entered in the state’s online criminal case database as of Monday afternoon detailing the allegations or showing a defense attorney representing Wehmeyer in the case.
Around 1:18 a.m. Saturday, police say a patrol officer spotted a vehicle traveling at high speed on Highway 54 near Passover Road. The officer turned on lights and sirens and initiated a pursuit when the driver failed to yield, Osage Beach Police Chief Todd Davis told reporters during a press conference Saturday morning.
Officer Phylicia Carson, 33, a member of the central Missouri department’s police force for approximately 15 months, joined the pursuit as a secondary officer. Roughly 18 minutes after the chase began, Davis said, a call on emergency radio signaled her patrol car had gone off road and was on fire.
Carson died in the wreck. The suspect vehicle pursued by police crashed a few minutes later near Canerie Lane and its driver was arrested.
A crash report prepared by the Missouri State Highway Patrol said Carson crossed the center of the roadway while pursuing a traffic violator on Missouri Route A and began to skid. The vehicle caught fire after striking a tree, the report says.
“Officer Carson leaves behind her husband and six children,” the police chief said. “Please keep the Carson family, our department and our community and your thoughts and prayers as we work through this tragic event.”
Condolences were also offered by Mayor Michael Harmison and the city’s elected officials.
“Life is short, folks,” the mayor said. “I encourage all of you to live your life to the fullest. Hug your kids, your parents and your loved ones often.”
Prosecuting Attorney Richelle Grosvenor said criminal charges may be added or amended in the future as the police investigation progresses. She also noted the recent passage of Valentine’s Law, a Missouri criminal statute that adds specific penalties for those accused of fleeing police.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol is leading the crash investigation. Several details of the criminal charges brought against Wehmeyer remained unknown Monday.
The city of Osage Beach said in a statement that City Hall would be closed Thursday to allow employees to attend Carson’s visitation and funeral.
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