Multiple police agencies were involved in a pursuit that occurred early Thursday morning throughout Waterloo and ended with two arrests as well as the seizure of illegal drugs.

Shortly after 4:30 a.m., a Monroe County Sheriff’s Department deputy had just completed a business check when he observed a black Jeep SUV traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of Route 3 near Kaskaskia Road south of Waterloo.

Concerned about a potential head-on collision, the deputy pulled onto Route 3 and activated his sirens in an effort to warn oncoming motorists and initiate a traffic stop. The suspect vehicle swerved back into northbound Route 3 as a southbound vehicle approached in the correct lane of travel.

The MCSD said the driver failed to stop for the deputy, resulting in a pursuit. During the incident, the vehicle traveled through portions of Waterloo, including residential neighborhoods and a couple of yards. At one point, the driver turned off the vehicle’s headlights and taillights in an apparent attempt to avoid apprehension.

Deputies, with assistance from the Waterloo Police Department, attempted to deploy stop sticks to disable the vehicle; however, the driver was able to avoid them. The pursuit concluded when the vehicle came to a stop in a driveway behind a residence in the 400 block of Hillcrest Drive in Waterloo.

Both the driver and passenger were then taken into custody.

A search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of suspected narcotics and a BB gun designed to closely resemble a real firearm, police said.

The driver, Matthew R. Higgins, 34, of Fenton, Mo., was transported to a local hospital after admitting to ingesting a large quantity of narcotics. He was charged with possession of methamphetamine and aggravated fleeing and eluding. Police added that Higgins had previously served seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections and was on the run from a parole violation stemming from an assault charge.

A passenger in this vehicle, Stephen Smith, 48, of Fenton, Mo., was also charged with meth possession.

Both men remain in custody at the Monroe County Jail.

The MCSD learned after this event that the vehicle involved had previously fled from the Missouri State Highway Patrol earlier during the overnight hours before entering Illinois.

“The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department remains committed to proactive policing and protecting the citizens of Monroe County. This incident highlights the swift action taken by deputies to prevent what could have been a tragic head-on collision and to remove dangerous individuals and narcotics from our communities,” MCSD Capt. Justin Biggs said.