Latest news with #MissouriHighwayPatrol
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Yahoo
Patrol reports 8 fatalities over holiday weekend
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Missouri State Highway Patrol released a preliminary report on Monday, giving a tally of highway and waterway injuries and fatalities from the Fourth of July weekend. Overall, the patrol reported eight fatalities on Missouri's highways, zero boating fatalities and no drownings during the holiday counting period, which started Thursday, July 3 and lasted through Sunday, July 6. MSHP reported 246 crashes on the state's roads, including 115 that involved injuries. Troopers also cited 114 individuals for driving while intoxicated. The Missouri Water Patrol worked nine boat crashes, four of which involved injuries. Officers also cited 13 individuals for boating while intoxicated. The worst fatality involved two deaths and occurred in Putnam County. A driver and passenger perished when their vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck a tree, and began to burn. They were pronounced dead at the scene by the Putnam County Coroner. In northwest Missouri, a 71-year-old woman died when she walked into the path of an eastbound vehicle. The incident occurred on U.S. Highway 136, just west of Interstate 365. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene by Harrison County's coroner. No traffic fatalities were reported on Sunday.
Hamilton Spectator
05-06-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Devil in the Ozarks' who escaped Arkansas prison has likely fled state, marshals say
Investigators said they believe that a convicted murderer and former police chief known as the 'Devil in the Ozark s' has likely fled Arkansas after escaping from prison last month, a federal court filing released this week shows. A criminal complaint filed in federal court in Little Rock against Grant Hardin, who escaped prison last month, was released this week. Authorities have said Hardin escaped the Calico Rock prison in Arkansas by donning an outfit designed to look like a law enforcement uniform. In the complaint, Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert J. Hammons cites two previously publicized unconfirmed sightings of Hardin — one in central Arkansas and another in southern Missouri. 'Based on this information, investigators believe Hardin has fled the state of Arkansas to avoid recapture,' the filing said. 'He has extensive knowledge of the Ozark Mountain region, where he is believed to be possibly hiding in caves or rugged terrain that he is familiar with.' The complaint, first reported by The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette , does not detail any other sightings of Hardin or evidence of him fleeing the state. Arkansas authorities have previously said they are focusing on north-central Arkansas and tips of sightings elsewhere so far have not panned out. 'Until there's any confirmed, verifiable sightings or evidence that puts him outside the area, we're still focusing the search on this area,' Rand Champion, spokesman for the Department of Corrections, said Thursday. Hardin, a former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape . He was the subject of the TV documentary 'Devil in the Ozarks.' A spokesperson for the Missouri Highway Patrol said it does not have an active team searching for Hardin, but the patrol has been watching for him and following up on any tips. Lt. Eric F. Brown said the patrol has received two tips about Hardin being in Missouri but both were unfounded. Hardin was housed in a maximum-security wing of the primarily medium security prison, formally known as the North Central Unit. Officials are investigating whether a job Hardin held in the kitchen helped in his escape, including whether it gave him access to materials he could have used to fashion his makeshift uniform. In a rambling 11-page letter to an Arkansas judge in 2018, Hardin said he started working in the prison's kitchen about eight years ago. In the letter, Hardin wrote that he told his defense lawyer that he wanted to withdraw his plea agreement in the murder case but was unable to do so. The Arkansas Department of Corrections this week released a new photo rendering of Hardin, depicting what he may look like now. The photo depicts Hardin with hair on his head and facial hair. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Southwest Missouri officer accused of falsifying charges in fatal hit-and-run
McDONALD COUNTY, Mo. — A southwest Missouri police officer is the subject of a criminal investigation leading to felony charges. Rhonda Wise, a Senior Deputy Marshal with the Noel Marshal's Office, is charged with one count of perjury. On Tuesday, Prosecuting Attorney Maleia Cheney filed the charge, accusing Wise of lying on a criminal complaint. The case she is accused of falsifying involves charges filed against a McDonald County woman in a fatal hit-and-run crash in November of last year that killed Michael Pruden. The Missouri Highway Patrol conducted the investigation, and charges against that woman were dismissed after problems with the case surfaced. According to today's charge, authorities say Wise put false information about a broken headlight in the Probable Cause Statement filed in the Pruden fatality case. The trooper working the case said he questioned Wise about the serial number information she gave in her sworn statement (the PC). He said the evidence in that case found no serial number on the broken pieces of headlight found at the scene of the crash. Rhonda-Wise-Probable-Cause-Statement-Perjury-ChargeDownload Wise is currently on suspension from the Marshal's office and her future with the department is unknown at this time. DEVELOPING Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florissant dispensary challenges St. Louis County's authority to tax marijuana sales
FLORISSANT, Mo. – A Florissant dispensary's lawsuit is pushing the Missouri Supreme Court to decide whether incorporated cities and counties may both impose a 3% marijuana sales tax under the state constitution. The challenge comes Florissant-based dispensary Robust Missouri 3 LLC, which argues the state's marijuana amendment permits either a city or a county to levy a local sales tax on recreational marijuana purchases, but not both in the same area. The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday, per state records. A ruling could have significant financial implications and bring clarity to hoe marijuana tax authority is interpreted across the state. Missouri Highway Patrol reopens probe into Crocker overdose death Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution explicitly states, in connection with marijuana taxing: ''Local government' means, in the case of an incorporated area, a village, town, or city and, in the case of an unincorporated area, a county.' According to Missouri Department of Revenue data, adult-use marijuana purchases in Florissant are currently subject to a total sales rate of of 20.988%, including a 3% sales tax imposed by both the City of Florissant and St. Louis County. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now In November, a Missouri court of Appeals panel died with the dispensary, finding the amendment's wording unambiguously bars dual taxation for a city and county in the same location. That decision reversed a lower court ruling an led to the case's transfer to the Missouri Supreme Court. Missouri's constitutional amendment legalizing recreational marijuana sales took effect in December 2022. Since then, St. Louis County and several of its incorporated municipalities, including the City of Florissant, have enacted their own 3% local sales taxes on adult-use marijuana, as permitted under the amendment. The Missouri Cannabis Trade Association estimates that the state's cannabis industry generates $241 million in sales tax revenue annually for state and local governments. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
St. Louis man sentenced for bi-state unarmed bank robberies
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A St. Louis man appeared in federal court in East St. Louis, Illinois, on Wednesday to be sentenced for robbing multiple banks in a three-week period in 2023. Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Illinois said Tyrone Leslie, 40, robbed two banks in St. Louis County, one in St. Louis City, and attempted to rob a fourth bank in Caseyville, Illinois. The Missouri cases were transferred to Illinois' jurisdiction so they could be prosecuted simultaneously. In each incident, Leslie used demand notes and did not display a weapon. Prosecutors said Leslie targeted the U.S. Bank in the 13000 block of Tesson Ferry Road on Nov. 14, 2023. He handed the teller a note saying he was armed and wanted cash. Leslie left the bank with $2,740 in cash and fled in a red Dodge Durango. Missouri Highway Patrol reopens probe into Crocker overdose death On Nov. 17, 2023, Leslie used a demand note to rob the People's National Bank in the 3200 block of Hampton Avenue of $964. On Dec. 2, 2023, Leslie walked into the PNC Bank in the 15000 block of Manchester Road and handed the teller a note. He left with $5,050 and drove off in a red Dodge Durango. Just two days later, on Dec. 4, Leslie tried to take $4,125 from the FCB Bank in the 200 block of North Main Street in Caseyville. Following the attempted robbery, Leslie led police on a high-speed chase before he was apprehended. Leslie pleaded guilty in January 2025 to four counts of bank robbery. A U.S. District Court judge sentenced Leslie to 87 months in federal prison. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
