Updated @ 11 am

WENTZVILLE, MO (KMOX) -  Sheriff’s officials in St. Charles County are said to be close to arresting a man that police on a wild chase early Monday.

The suspect reportedly shoved a clerk at 94 Bait & Tackle in Weldon Spring, grabbed a large box containing bath salts and ran out the door, leading to the chase.

At last report, the unidentified suspect was trapped in a wooded area between Peine Rd. and Hwy. 61.

OUR EARLIER STORY:

The Highway Patrol and area police agencies are searching an area of Flint Hill off Mattee Road in unincorporated St. Charles County for a suspect in connection with a  strong armed robbery of up to 15-thousand dollars.

The case started with a high-speed chase shortly after 6:30 this morning.  The suspect hitting speeds over 80 miles-per-hour through rush hour traffic , took police on a winding pursuit through the Wentzville area, nearly involving a head-on collision on Highway A.

The suspect then headed to some back roads, but according to KMOX’s Captain Roger Brand following the chase in Airborne One, the suspect drove out into a farm field, then on to a farm track and bailed out of the vehicle into a heavily wooded area.

Police converged on the area and are combing the woods with dogs looking for the suspect.