Russell Anderson Sentenced For Pre-Thanksgiving Car Chase [VIDEO]
A man wanted for parole violation out of Missouri, will be spending time behind bars in Wyoming, after he admitted to hitting his pregnant girlfriend, intimidating her to become a prostitute and leading law enforcement on a vehicle chase through central Wyoming.
Russell Anderson was sentenced to eight to 10 years in prison, after he pleaded guilty to one felony count of aggravated assault and battery on a pregnant woman, one felony count of promoting prostitution, and one misdemeanor count of reckless endangering.
Special Agents with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation say on the day before Thanksgiving 2015, a Mills Police Officer attempted to pull over Anderson for a traffic violation.
Anderson refused to stop and a chase ensued on I-25 southbound.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol eventually got involved.
Once Anderson was between the two exits to Glenrock, he then crossed over the median and started driving southbound in the northbound lanes.
Due to the serious risk of serious bodily injury to oncoming traffic, one trooper fired several shots at Anderson in an attempt to end the pursuit, however one shot hit Anderson's passenger, Michelle Essig, in the leg.
The chase ended a short time later, when the Patrol was able to pit Anderson's vehicle.
Essig told investigators that she was 12 weeks pregnant with Anderson's child and was the victim of violence, before the chase.
She added that while in Casper, Anderson forced her to prostitute herself in order to make money, and she did it out of fear of Anderson.
When interviewed, Anderson acknowledged the physical altercations and knew Essig was pregnant.
A search conducted on Anderson's and Essig's cell phones, confirmed Essig's account of prostitution.
Anderson's actual sentence was eight-to-10 years in prison for the aggravated assault and battery on a pregnant woman charge, two-to-three years in prison for the promoting prostitution charge, and one year in prison for the reckless endangering charge.
All three sentences will be served concurrently, or at the same time with each other.
Video of the car chase near Glenrock: