The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help as authorities try to determine who stole and crashed a vehicle Wednesday night near Dixon then fled the scene on foot.

According to a Lee County Sheriff’s Office news release, the Rock Falls Police Department at 7:43 p.m. Wednesday notified Lee County dispatchers of a stolen vehicle from their jurisdiction.

Rock Falls officers told dispatchers they were alerted through the use of a Flock license plate reader that the stolen vehicle was traveling east on Rock Island Road.

A Lee County deputy was stationary facing west on Bloody Gulch Road at the intersection with Rock Island Road when the deputy saw an uninvolved vehicle and the suspected stolen vehicle turn east onto Bloody Gulch Road from Rock Island Road, sheriff’s police said.

The deputy began following the vehicles and saw the suspect vehicle pass the uninvolved vehicle on Bloody Gulch Road. The deputy attempted to pass the uninvolved vehicle, at which time the suspect vehicle increased its speed and appeared to be fleeing, according to the release.

The deputy did not pursue and did not activate emergency lights because the suspect vehicle was approaching a known dangerous intersection with Pump Factory Road, according to the release.

The reportedly stolen vehicle continued east and disregarded the stop sign at Pump Factory Road, according to the release.

A Dixon police officer had also responded to the area and was westbound on Bloody Gulch Road nearing Pump Factory Road, when the officer saw the suspect vehicle disregard the stop sign and travel through the intersection, according to the release. The Dixon officer activated the squad car’s emergency lights and turned around to follow the vehicle.

The Lee County deputy then activated his emergency lights to assist the Dixon police officer, who lost sight of the vehicle before entering into Dixon city limits and terminated the pursuit, according to the release. The deputy turned off that squad car’s emergency lights and pulled into the parking lot of the Fairfield Hotel at Bloody Gulch Road and Fulfs Road.

A short time later, Lee County Dispatch received a cell 911 hang-up call originating on Bloody Gulch Road near the intersection of U.S. Route 52. Officers and deputies responded to the area and located the vehicle, which had crashed, according to the release.

The vehicle was unoccupied and the driver had fled the scene on foot, according to the release.

The area was searched with the assistance of Lee County K-9 Dax, Dixon City Fire Department’s thermal drone and the Illinois State Police as authorities attempted to find the driver. The driver was not found.

If anyone has information, contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 815-284-6631 or Rock Falls Police Department at 815-622-1140. People can also contact Ogle/Lee Crimestoppers at 815-228-4488 or Whiteside County Crimestoppers at 815-625-7867.