Car chase

State and county law enforcement officers had a difficult chase on Wednesday afternoon. They finally arrested a man who has been on a crime spree and avoiding officers in northeast and central Missouri for more than a year. 37-year-old Joshua Hamilton, of Kirksville, now faces even more charges.  Benton County Sheriff Rick Fajen says Hamilton tried to return stolen property to a store in Warsaw. As he drove north on U.S. 65, officers tried to stop Hamilton’s vehicle. When they asked him to get out, he sped away. North of Warsaw at Highway BB, he turned back south on U.S. 65. Sheriff’s deputies and state troopers gave chase and tried to spike his tires just north of Warsaw. Hamilton drove off the highway, skidded into the median, and then went back on the highway. The chase continued west on the Truman Dam Access Road.  The dam road is closed for maintenance but Hamilton busted through two closed gates at each end of the dam. He then turned south toward Missouri 7 but was blocked in by two separate roadblocks with spike strips. He then stopped and surrendered.  Hamilton is now in jail in Benton county on numerous charges.