A traffic stop in Urbana Monday escalated into a foot chase, a struggle with police, and several criminal charges against a man who tried to bribe an officer.
It began around 9:00 p.m. when Urbana Police saw a car going south on Main Street without its headlights or taillights on.
The vehicle pulled into a gas station as officers initiated a traffic stop.
Both the driver and the passenger immediately got out of the vehicle.
The driver, later identified as 31-year-old Deven Skaggs, began walking into the gas station, even though officers demanded he return to the vehicle.
When asked for his driver’s license, Skaggs initially said it was in the vehicle.
Instead of retrieving it, he returned with a handful of cash and began trying to persuade the officer to let him go.
Skaggs offered the officer $100 and repeatedly asked how much money it would take to avoid arrest.
The officer warned him that this behavior could lead to jail time, but Skaggs continued, saying he would pay more than the officer earned in six months.
Skaggs then provided a false name and Social Security number.
As officers tried to verify his identity with dispatch, Skaggs took off on foot.
Officers chased Skaggs as he ran through a backyard and tried to climb a staircase behind a home.
When they caught up with him, they tackled him to the ground, where Skaggs continued resisting by grabbing a railing and refusing to follow commands.
After repeated orders, officers were finally able to handcuff him.
He was then transported to the police station, where he failed field sobriety tests.
Police found that Skaggs’ driver’s license was suspended and that he had two warrants for his arrest.
He was transported to the Tri-County Jail, where he is facing several charges, including bribery, resisting arrest, obstructing official business, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, driving under OVI suspension, and providing false information.
