A Chillicothe man is facing charges after a nearly year-long auto theft investigation and a police chase in northwest Missouri.

Gregory Simpson, 31 was charged Sunday in Livingston County with a felony for tampering with a motor vehicle stemming from an incident that allegedly took place in January, and a felony for resisting arrest stemming from an incident that allegedly took place Saturday.

According to the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, on Sat., Dec. 10, an auto theft investigation which began January 31, 2016 on Old Highway 190 resulted in an arrest.

The office said the suspect who stole this vehicle allegedly damaged a different yard in rural Livingston County and made way into Daviess County. At one point the yet unknown and unreported stolen vehicle was involved in a chase with another county agency and then the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The suspect eluded the officers and subsequently ditched the pickup in a remote area near Kearney, MO.

Several days later the vehicle was located and LCSO staff responded to process the pickup. The search of that vehicle resulted in trace evidence being collected and sent to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Lab for DNA testing. Late last week the LCSO received lab confirmation and identity of the suspect.

On December 10 the LCSO arrested Gregory Allen Simpson, 31, Independence at a rural Livingston County address for alleged Auto Theft. Later Simpson allegedly attempted to flee the LCSO staff on foot and was again apprehended.

Simpson is being held on $25,000 bail in the Davies/Dekalb Regional Jail.

Sheriff Steve Cox said the LCSO is continuing with assisting Daviess County Sheriff, the MSHP, Clinton County Sheriff, and others regarding possible information for incident reports they have open.