In the first 11 months since Valentine’s Law went into effect, the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office has filed 76 cases under the statute, designed to hold accountable those who flee police at high speeds and endanger lives.Named in memory of Detective Antonio Valentine, who was killed during a high-speed pursuit in St. Louis County, the law makes fleeing from law enforcement in a dangerous manner a felony offense in Missouri. The base charge is a Class D felony, elevated to Class B if someone is injured, and to Class A if someone is killed. Each conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison, without the possibility of probation or parole.So far, five defendants have been sentenced under the law, receiving prison terms ranging from three to 10 years. Four of the five were involved in vehicle crashes and the fifth was stopped only after driving over tire deflation devices.“It is unacceptable for someone to endanger our...