Platte County Sheriff’s Office deputies engaged two suspects in a two vehicle chases in two days, later capturing a female while a male escaped following a wreck on Highway 92 following the second chase on Thursday, July 30. According to court documents, a white truck linked to a burglary and police pursuit that occurred on Wednesday, July 29 was spotted near North and Fourth streets in Platte City the following day. The occupants drove up to a sheriff’s office patrol vehicle and asked for directions, and the deputy believed the driver to be Lucas Elledge, suspected of being involved in a burglary on River Road the previous day.
The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, but the truck accelerated and led authorities on a chase, reaching speeds of 95 miles per hour in a 35 zone.
Eventually, the vehicle struck an embankment on 92 near Hackberry Lane while traveling west out of Platte City toward Leavenworth, Kan. The deputy observed one male and one female exit the truck, and the male believed to be Elledge hopped a fence and disappeared into the woods. According to a sheriff’s department spokesperson, the male suspect still has not been located, and Elledge has not been charged with a crime.
The female, later identified as 23-year-old Megan McClain, was apprehended while attempting to scale the same fence.
A search of the vehicle turned up two glass pipes and a white substance that field tested positive for crystal methamphetamine inside a handgun box in the right front floorboard. Authorities also located numerous stolen items, later linked to a burglary at 16800 River Rd., a theft in Leavenworth County, Kan. and property stolen from another Platte County man.
McClain, a resident of Leavenworth, Kan., remains in custody on felony charges of burglary and resisting arrest.
According to court documents, a male caretaker of the property on River Road in southwestern Platte County near Waldron, Mo. had confronted a white male and white female, later identified as McClain, on July 29 who were stealing windows. He took pictures of them and their vehicle at the scene that helped authorities recognize them and their vehicle a day later.
Under questioning, McClain admitted to taking the property but told the male caretaker that the land belonged to her grandfather. She claimed the man with her was the father of her unborn child. However, property records showed the claim to be false.
After the report was made, the Platte County Sheriff’s Office and Parkville Police Department engaged in a chase of the suspects but terminated the pursuit as the vehicle crossed into Kansas. The pair was seen again at about 6:30 p.m. on July 30 right before the second chase started.
A Facebook post to a Platte City and surrounding area swap shop group generated a bunch of buzz, indicating the police were searching for an escaped convict. However, a sheriff’s office spokesperson said the post was likely misreferencing the car pursuit involving the two suspects in this case.
A Kansas City (Mo.) Police Department search helicopter was brought in to help locate the two suspects about an hour after the chase started. The search was terminated with the male unable to be located.
In her interview, McClain claimed she was with the father of her unborn child during both incidents and that unnamed person was driving and chose to run from the cops. She remembered hitting a sign and a ditch but did not know how she ended up in the back of the cop car.
McClain also claimed she “quit dope” about three months prior to the incident.