A suspect who fled a traffic stop in Swansea at about 3 a.m. Monday was finally arrested in Fairview Heights after colliding with a police car and trying to run away.

Swansea Police Chief Mike Arnold said the suspect, who was not named pending formal charges, was pulled over for a traffic violation at Illinois 161 and Garden Avenue near the Jack in the Box restaurant.

"At some point during the stop he decided he didn't want to be there anymore and he took off," Arnold said. "It never got up to very high speeds, I think they were going about 55 in a 45 mile per hour zone. But he hit one of our cars at one point."

The suspect fled officers from Swansea as well as St. Clair County Sheriff's Department deputies west on Illinois 161 to the French Village area of Fairview Heights. There Fairview Heights officers headed off the fleeing motorist with stop sticks, puncturing his tires.

At that point the man jumped out of the car and ran. But he was quickly nabbed by Sheriff's Department deputies and taken to the St. Clair County Jail.

Arnold said the officer whose patrol car was damaged was not injured in the collision.

It turned out that the 19 year old male suspect had warrants for his arrest and his probation for a juvenile arrest was to be revoked, Arnold said, which likely explains why he tried to flee.

Contact reporter Scott Wuerz at swuerz@bnd.com or call 239-2626.