July 14th, 2025 Local News
St. Francois Co., Mo. (KFMO) - A Bonne Terre man is facing multiple charges after a high-speed motorcycle chase and crash Thursday night in St. Francois County.
According to the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department, the incident began around 9:10 p.m. on July 10, when deputies were assisting a Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper with a traffic stop related to a theft investigation initiated by the Park Hills Police Department. The stop was conducted along Missouri Highway B near Russell Road.
During the stop, a black motorcycle sped toward the scene, nearly striking the Trooper’s patrol vehicle. A deputy attempted to pull over the motorcycle, but the rider took off, fleeing eastbound on Highway B toward Doe Run. The pursuit officially began at 9:15 p.m., heading westbound at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. Due to safety concerns, the chase was terminated by law enforcement supervision just two minutes later. Minutes after the pursuit ended, at 9:24 p.m., the motorcycle was discovered wrecked near Highway B and Old Bismarck Road.
The rider, 44-year-old Michal Barnhouse, of Bonne Terre, was located by a St. Francois County K9 unit, medically cleared by EMS, and taken into custody.
Authorities say Barnhouse had active felony warrants out of St. Francois County, St. Louis County, and the Arnold Police Department. The Sheriff’s Department is also requesting new charges through the St. Francois County Prosecutor’s Office, including Aggravated Fleeing under Valentine’s Law, Resisting Arrest, and multiple traffic violations.
While responding to the crash site, a second deputy lost control on a curve and went off the road down an embankment. The deputy was uninjured, but the patrol vehicle sustained damage.
