TIPTON - Following a day-long manhunt in the Tipton area, officers with the Moniteau County Sheriff's Department said Friday that they believe the subjects of the search have left the area.
The search for the suspects began shortly after 7 a.m. Thursday near Clarksburg when a vehicle failed to stop for a deputy. The pursuit led officers to Bahner Quarry Road, at the east edge of Tipton. When the suspects drove into a field near Elmers Road, they stopped and fled into the woods.
The search, which continued for several hours across a wide area, was joined by the Tipton Police Department and the Missouri Highway Patrol; officers were unable to locate the pair.
Later in the day, it was reported that the two suspects were seen near Elmers Road and Highway 5. Authorities again responded to the location, and continued the search with the help of a helicopter and Morgan County Sheriff's Canine Unit. The search was unsuccessful.
According to the Moniteau County Sheriff's Department, both suspects have been identified, but no names or descriptions have been released. Authorities say the suspects were most likely picked up by another vehicle and are no longer in the area.
The vehicle used by the suspects has been impounded, and the investigation continues.