EC man charged with high-speed chase, being felon with firearms

CHIPPEWA FALLS — An Eau Claire felon accused of leading police on a high-speed chase April 28, and having two guns in his vehicle has been charged in Chippewa County Court

Andre G. Jordan Simmons, 44, 2402 Tony Court, was charged Friday with two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, fleeing or eluding an officer, and bail jumping. Judge James Isaacson ordered Jordan Simmons be held on a $5,000 cash bond, and set a new court date for Tuesday.

Additionally, the U.S. Marshal’s Service requested a hold be placed on Jordan Simmons. He also was cited for making an illegal U-turn, driving the wrong way on a divided highway, speeding, reckless driving-endangering safety, and OWI-first offense.

According to the criminal complaint, a Wisconsin State Trooper heard a dispatch call of a possible armed robbery on April 28 that occurred in Eau Claire city limits. The dispatch center provided information of a Ford Windstar with a Minnesota license plate. The officer located the vehicle matching that description traveling northbound on U.S. 53.

“Due to the (dispatch call) stating there were possible AK-47-style guns and multiple subjects in the vehicle, (the trooper) waited to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle until he had additional officers close by. The vehicle took the exit for Highway 29 in the County of Chippewa and traveled at speeds of 80 MPH in a 65 MPH zone,” the complaint states.

The officer activated his emergency lights and pulled over the vehicle. However, the occupants of the vehicle did not follow the trooper’s commands.

“Eventually, four occupants started exiting the vehicle against orders and the fifth occupant got into the driver’s seat and began to drive away at a high rate of speed, leaving the other four occupants on the side of the road,” the complaint reads.

The trooper followed the eastbound vehicle, with speeds reaching 60 to 117 mph in a 65 mph zone.

“The vehicle turned on its blinker, used a crossover, and began traveling westbound. The vehicle turned left through the crossover, entered the highway again, and began traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes,” the complaint reads.

The officer at this point opted to conduct a successful “pursuit intervention technique” maneuver, “which sent the vehicle into the ditch and ended in a roll. Multiple officers conducted a high-risk felony stop on the lone driver and used a baton to break the window and allow the driver to exit the vehicle.”

The officer noted the odor of alcohol and marijuana coming from the driver, identified as Jordan Simmons.

“Law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle, which resulted in locating multiple phones that were turned over to the Eau Claire Police Department at their request. Officers also located two firearms in the middle row of the van, as well as a THC vape pen, raw marijuana, a marijuana cigarette, and multiple Coors Light beer cans both opened and unopened located throughout the vehicle,” the complaint reads.

Jordan Simmons was taken to a nearby hospital for a blood draw, then he was taken to the Chippewa County Jail.

“All suspected marijuana contraband received a positive presumptive test result for delta-9 marijuana. Officers located a total of two 9 mm handguns with 39 total bullets, a THC vape pen, and 5 grams of raw marijuana,” the complaint reads.

Jordan Simmons is a convicted felon, having been convicted of substantial bodily harm in Minnesota in 1995, as well as burglary while armed with a dangerous weapon in Eau Claire County Court in 1997, and possession of cocaine with the intent to deliver in Eau Claire County Court in 2003 and again in 2005.

If Jordan Simmons posts bond, he cannot possess dangerous weapons or consume alcohol or illegal drugs.