Justin Dennis, 22, of Ste. Genevieve, was charged last Friday with resisting arrest by fleeing, resisting arrest for a felony, failing to yield to an emergency vehicle, two counts exceeding the posted speed limit by 26 mph or more, and four other traffic offenses.

According to a probable cause statement from the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department, while patrolling the area of Highway 221 near Railroad Lane Thursday, a deputy observed a motorcycle that did not have a rear license plate attached. The deputy activated his lights and sirens and attempted to initiate a traffic stop.

The report states that the motorcycle, operated by Dennis, then accelerated, passed three vehicles in a no-passing zone, and reached speeds of 110 mph.

Dennis continued driving, passed another vehicle in an intersection controlled by traffic lights, and nearly struck a truck while going down the on-ramp to U.S. 67.

Once on U.S. 67, the fleeing motorcycle reached speeds of 140 mph. The deputy reported losing sight of the motorcycle but was able to follow it by the sound of its engine.

Two deputies located the motorcycle stopped in the middle of Route DD. Upon inspection of the bike, one of the deputies discovered the license plate was bent-up to make it not visible, and the plates had expired in June.

Dennis was booked into the St. Francois County Jail, where he is being held without bail.

The deputy reports that Dennis had told an off-duty detention officer at the St. Francois County Jail that he had "been riding my bike and running from the police.”

Dennis also reportedly stated that he had run from law enforcement in Jefferson County, and they would just stop chasing him every time.

According to the criminal complaint, two of the nine counts with which Dennis has been charged stem from earlier this month, when an officer attempted another traffic stop on the man in the area of Parkway Drive and U.S. 67.

The complaint alleges that on July 2, Dennis resisted an arrest for a felony when the officer tried to initiate a stop, fleeing the area at speed of more than 120 mph.