Paul Tripp Takes Police on High Speed Chase after Recent Prison Release, Crashes in Hazelwood

A Florissant man who was just released from jail in September is accused of leading police on a drunken high-speed chase Thursday morning that ended in Hazelwood. 

Authorities say Paul Alan Tripp, 28, sped away from them during a traffic stop around 3:00 a.m.

Pine Lawn Police chased Tripp on Interstate 70 to I-270 and then to Highway 370 before he crashed in the City of Hazelwood at Aubuchon and Missouri Bottom Roads.

Pine Lawn Police Officer John Bernsen said Tripp drove at speeds near 130 mph before he crashed into farmland and was then taken into custody.

He was charged with Felony DWI, resisting arrest and Careless and Imprudent Driving charges. Bail was set at $40,000.

This is reportedly his fourth DWI. Authorities say they plan to ask that his parole be revoked.

Tripp was on parole after serving a prison term for abandonment of a corpse.

. He admitted to dumping his friend, Valerie Butler's body, who had overdosed on heroin

He pleaded guilty to the charge in January 2012.

Butler, 25, of St. Ann, was seen leaving a Florissant bar called Handlebars with two men, one of whom was identified by authorities as Tripp. Butler's body was found several weeks later near Prouhet Farm Road in Bridgeton. The medical examiner said Butler died of acute heroin intoxication.

While Butler was missing reports of her being spotted in Maryland Heights surfaced and the Maryland Heights Police told Patch a report was taken regarding a sighting.

The field where Tripp was arrested Thursday is less than a two mile drive from the field where Butler's body was found two years ago.

In addition to the two-year sentence in the corpse abandonment case, Tripp was serving a a five-year sentence from December 2010 for drug possession with intent to distribute conviction. The sentences were to run consecutively and included time served that began July 26, 2011.

Read more about Tripp and his involvement in Valerie Butler's case:

• Body Identified as Valerie Butler
• Paul Tripp Sentenced to Two Years in Valerie Butler Case
• Florissant Man's Pretrial Conference Continued
• Probation Revoked for Florissant Man
• Man Accused of Dumping Body Gets New Court Date
• Court Date Planned for the Man Accused of Abandoning the Corpse of a Maryland Heights Woman
• Preliminary Hearing Date Set for Paul Tripp
• Facts Support Arrest in Valerie Butler Case
• Florissant Police Make Arrest in Connection with Valerie Butler Case