Suspects face list of charges in area chase

LAKE ANDES — Authorities allege the driver involved in a high-speed chase Sept. 27 in Douglas and Charles Mix counties was drunk and attempted to ram a sheriff’s deputy off the road at speeds approaching 100 mph.

The driver, Jacob Abdo, 18, and his passenger, Michael Clark, 27, both of Mitchell, are being held on numerous charges in Charles Mix County after leading law enforcement on an hour-and-15-minute pursuit through the two counties. During the chase, Abdo allegedly swerved from lane to lane, drove into oncoming traffic for long distances and attempted to ram a vehicle driven by Charles Mix County Sheriff’s Deputy Neal Moad, court documents say.

The chase ended when their vehicle ran out of gas on a gravel road south of Ravinia. The vehicle was later reported stolen out of Howard.

Law enforcement found several stolen items in the vehicle, including a jar containing coins and jewelry, a laptop, an audio/visual projector, a bag containing gold coins and a loaded 9 mm handgun.

Abdo is charged with three felonies in Charles Mix County — aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, receiving stolen property and aggravated eluding — as well as two misdemeanors, possession of a loaded firearm while intoxicated and reckless driving.

Abdo is also charged with four misdemeanors in Douglas County: eluding, reckless driving, driving with a suspended driver’s license and a stop-sign violation.

He faces a maximum of 25 years in prison and a $50,000 fine if convicted of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, his most serious charge.

Clark is charged with two felonies — receiving stolen property and possession of a firearm with a prior violent crime conviction — as well as one misdemeanor, possession of a loaded firearm while intoxicated.

He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine for receiving stolen property, his most serious charge.

No charges have been filed against either in Miner County, where the alleged thefts took place.

Abdo’s blood alcohol content was found to be 0.206 shortly after his arrest, while Clark’s was found to be 0.169, court documents say. The legal limit for driving in South Dakota is 0.08. Clark was also allegedly found to have gunshot residue on his right hand.

Both are scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Charles Mix County later this month.

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