MT. VERNON – A 46-year-old St. Louis man is lodged in the Jefferson County Jail on multiple charges following an incident with Mt. Vernon Police Saturday afternoon.
Aaron Prikasky is charged with Attempted Vehicular Hijacking, two counts of Attempted Vehicle Thefts, two counts of Aggravated Battery to a Police Officer, and Criminal Damage to Property.
Officers responded to the Mach 1 gas station on South 42nd Street around 1:20 p.m. after learning that Prikasky was trying to enter vehicles.
Prikasky attacked one of the officers approaching him and then fled. The officer slipped on some ice when he started to pursue Prikasky injuring his knee. Prikasky then tried to steal an unoccupied locked vehicle sitting at a gas pump. Prikasky was unsuccessful as the officer started to close in on him. Prikasky attempted to steal a running unlocked semi-truck. The officer caught Prikasky and another officer arrived to assist. Prikasky continued fighting officers and he was eventually subdued after a taser deployment. Both officers sustained minor injuries.
It was learned Prikasky had previously tried to hijack a vehicle that was occupied at the gas pumps just prior to officers arriving. Prikasky’s vehicle had broken down on the interstate and he went to Mach 1 prior to the incident.
