DONIPHAN - A Doniphan woman and her five children were taken into custody Tuesday afternoon in Oregon County, nearly 48 hours after abandoning their disabled vehicle following a pursuit by law enforcement.
Danisha R. Price, 26, was booked at the Butler County Jail. Bond was set at $100,000. She was set to appear for arraignment this morning in Ripley County Circuit Court.
Prosecuting attorney Christopher Miller filed numerous charges on Tuesday against Price including five felony counts of child endangerment and felony resisting arrest by fleeing.
Meanwhile, Doniphan police are investigating a missing persons report filed by the family of 56-year-old Bruce Todd Ehrenberg. The man reportedly was last seen Thursday, July 12, by his landlord at his apartment in Doniphan.
"His sister reported she had not seen him since Wednesday evening. There were some people who reported seeing him on Thursday but he hasn't been seen since," said Doniphan police chief Mark Rodgers.
Price reportedly had been residing in the other half of the same duplex-style apartment house and was a known acquaintance of the missing man, chief Rodgers said.
Price, reportedly fled Sunday afternoon with her five children after being stopped by police for an alleged traffic violation about four blocks from the apartment house.
Officers said Price was driving a 1999 GMC Suburban with expired temporary tags. Ehrenberg, who reportedly did not drive due to severe vision problems, reportedly purchased the vehicle and had included Price's name on the title.
Police reportedly were preparing to arrest Price on an outstanding warrant from Cassville, Mo., for driving with a suspended license and were waiting for a foster care parent to arrive and take custody of the children.
Police were uncertain of the children's ages. However, four of the five were small enough to require booster seats, reports said.
Price reportedly drove away at a high rate of speed with the children inside the vehicle, leading to a pursuit involving two city officers and a Ripley County deputy.
The vehicle reportedly ran stop signs while continuing to the downtown area on Grand and Lafayette streets before heading west on Jefferson Street, nearly hitting two vehicles while crossing a parking lot near the courthouse square.
Reports said the Suburban struck a guardrail on Jefferson near U.S. Highway 160, causing the vehicle to skid sideways, nearly hitting other vehicles. The Suburban crossed the Current River bridge and continued west on U.S. Highway 160.
Officers said the vehicle approached speeds of 80 miles per hour while continuing west on the curvy, hilly highway. Officers said numerous times the vehicle crossed the centerline into oncoming traffic.
Officers continued to follow the vehicle west but discontinued the pursuit as it reached the Ripley-Oregon county line.
Monday morning, a deacon at a church near Riverton in Oregon County, reported the Suburban had been abandoned in the church parking lot. A flat rear tire reportedly was worn down to the rim. The vehicle was towed back to Doniphan.
Officers with the Oregon County Sheriff's Department and U.S. Forest Service began a search around the Eleven Point River area near the U.S. Highway 160 bridge. The family was located shortly after noon Tuesday.
"They apparently had been wandering along the river and may have spent one night in an old tin building," said chief Rodgers.
The children were placed into the custody of the Missouri Division of Family Services.