Mississippi man who fled police caught

Four men are being held in the Grundy County Jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver after one of them eluded police for more than a day.

Police had been looking for Jared Collins Foster, 25, of Columbus, Miss., after he ran from police during a traffic stop by state police Tuesday on Interstate 80. Foster was a passenger in the vehicle and fled into a wooded area carrying two bags.

Foster was caught Wednesday and, after being treated at Morris Hospital for minor injuries, he was taken to the Grundy County Jail and held on charges of resisting a peace officer, possession with the intent to deliver, and on a warrant from a different county for possession of a controlled substance, said Sheriff Kevin Callahan Thursday.

Sheriff's police caught Foster after they responded to reports of a suspicious person on Gore Road, near the Nettle Creek bridge, at about 5 p.m Wednesday. Two deputies were close to the area and observed Foster getting into a car that then headed east on Gore, said Callahan.

They made a traffic stop, at which time Foster tried to run again, but was apprehended.

Three other accomplices were in the vehicle and, after being questioned, were also charged. Nicholas J. Hay, 22, of Homewood; Cody J. Albano, 22, of Thornton; and Dustin J. Freeman, 27, of Starkville, Miss., are charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver, said Callahan.

"(Foster) had left the area as we believed. We had deputies in the area in case he came back," said Craig Meece, chief deputy for the Grundy County Sheriff's police Wednesday. "It appears he came back for his two bags when some citizens saw him get in the vehicle with the two bags."

The bags contained a large amount of different drugs and money, said Callahan. He could not comment specifically on the kinds of drugs or amount of money.

Before the evening sighting by citizens, Foster was last seen Tuesday wearing gray athletic shorts and no shoes, with his shirt off and hanging around his neck.

TUESDAY'S SEARCH

Area authorities searched for Foster for hours Tuesday.

Illinois State Police, Grundy County Sheriff's police and Morris police established a perimeter Tuesday during the original search. Canine units tracked him into the water at Nettle Creek, but could not locate the man.

Before Wednesday evening, Foster was last seen near a wooded area off Saratoga Road in Morris late Tuesday afternoon. Foster was confronted by a neighbor then and fled on foot into the woods.

Illinois State Police called off their search at about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to Callahan. Grundy County Sheriff's police remained at the scene with Conservation Police, holding the perimeter until early Wednesday morning.

Sheriff's police and Conservation police entered the wooded area with night vision technology, but were unable to locate Foster.

Morris police assisted Grundy Sheriff's police, the Metropolitan Area Narcotics Squad and state police Wednesday.