Springfield Police Department arrests two drunk drivers during saturation patrol

The Springfield Police Department arrested two impaired drivers during a five-hour saturation patrol on Friday, Sept. 20. Officers used marked patrol vehicles to enforce hazardous moving violations commonly associated with intoxicated driving.

There were 24 vehicles stopped during this patrol. In addition to the two drivers arrested for driving while intoxicated, 20 citations were issued.

As a reminder, consequences of impaired driving include jail time, loss of driving privileges, sentencing to use ignition interlocks and increased insurance rates. Financial losses include attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of a job.

Always have a plan for how to get home. Drunk driving is not worth the consequences. If you drink and drive, you lose.

Saturation patrols are funded through a grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation Traffic and Highway Safety Division.

Ozark man sentenced to 25 years for meth conspiracy

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

An Ozark, Mo., man and a Springfield, Mo., man have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Robert Jason Smith, 48, of Ozark, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 25 years in federal prison without parole. Smith was sentenced as a career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.

In a separate but related case, Aaron A. Keltner, 41, of Springfield, was sentenced on Thursday, Sept. 26, to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.

On Feb. 15, 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Smith admitted that he sold 25.17 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on June 22, 2021. The next day, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop while Smith was driving a black GMC pickup. An officer searched the truck and found a small black backpack on the rear floorboard behind the driver’s seat. Inside the backpack was a Ziploc bag that contained 217.98 grams of methamphetamine and $4,000 in cash. The officer found another backpack, which contained hundreds of rounds of assorted handgun, rifle, and shotgun ammunition, in the bed of the pickup.

Officers executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence the same day, on June 22, 2021. In the master bedroom, officers found a Ziploc bag that contained 53.86 grams of methamphetamine as well as a Taurus .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol under the mattress.

Smith told investigators he purchased a pound of methamphetamine each week from a co-defendant who was working with Keltner, for which he paid $5,000, and a pound of methamphetamine every two or three weeks from a separate source of supply.

According to court documents, Smith is responsible for the distribution of more than 12 kilograms of methamphetamine.

Smith has 13 prior felony convictions, six of which were for selling drugs.

Smith is the first defendant to be sentenced in this case. Two co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. Two co-defendants are scheduled for trial.

Keltner, who was charged separately, pleaded guilty on March 11, 2024, to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, Keltner regularly coordinated trips to acquire 14 to 16 kilograms of methamphetamine from Oklahoma per trip, using women to make the trips for him. He would then divide up the methamphetamine for re-distribution.

Keltner admitted that he was in possession of an Anderson Manufacturing AR-15 style .223/5.56mm semi-automatic rifle, a Savage Arms .223-caliber bolt-action rifle, and a Marlin .22-caliber bolt-action rifle. The firearms were found by law enforcement officers when they executed a search warrant at Keltner’s residence.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Keltner has numerous prior felony convictions, including for the distribution, delivery, or manufacture of a controlled substance.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

Springfield man dead following crash on Chestnut Expressway

(From the Springfield Police Department)

On Sept. 24, at 2:41 a.m., officers with the Springfield Police Department responded to a single-vehicle crash at 1020 E. Chestnut Expy.

Jonathan L. Koontz, 31, from Springfield, was driving a Honda Navi motorcycle south on Hampton Ave., crossed Central St., and continued onto the parking lot of Ozarks Technical Community College. Koontz hit a curb in the parking lot, continued through landscaping and hit a retaining wall.

Koontz died at the scene. Koontz’ family has been notified.

The circumstances of the crash are part of an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is requested to contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 or make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 417-869-TIPS or online at p3tips.com.

This was Springfield’s 17th fatal motor vehicle crash in 2024.

Shell Knob man dead after crash on 39

A Shell Knob man was killed in a one-vehicle accident 2:03 p.m. Monday on MO 39 one mile north of Shell Knob.

According to the Highway Patrol report, a 2005 GMC Yukon driven by Melissa R. Hollie, 46, Shell Knob, failed to negotiate a curve, traveled off the right side of the road, overturned and struck a fence.

A passenger, James D. Larson, 57, Shell Knob, was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:10 p.m. by Barry County Coroner Gary Swearingen.

Hollie was treated for moderate injuries at Mercy Springfield.

The fatality was the 80th this year for Highway Patrol Troop D. 

Springfield Police report bitcoin scam targeting elderly

(From the Springfield Police Department)

The Springfield Police Department has recently seen an increase in reported scams involving Bitcoin ATMs, which typically target elderly victims.

In these scams, the victim is contacted by phone or a pop-up message on their computer. The scammer demands the victim withdraw money and deposit it into a Bitcoin ATM. A Bitcoin ATM is a physical kiosk where users can buy or sell Bitcoin. There are several Bitcoin ATMs located in Springfield.

 

If a person is asked to withdraw money from their bank and deposit it into a Bitcoin ATM, it is guaranteed to be a scam. No bank or other entity will request that someone purchase Bitcoin.

If you have been the victim of a scam and have been financially impacted, please contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 to file a police report.

Springfield Police investigate shooting death in Nichols Park

(From the Springfield Police Department)

On Sept. 21, 2024, at 2:42 a.m., Springfield police officers responded to the report of a man who had been shot at Nichols Park, 1900 W. Nichols St.

Officers found Darion Williams, 23, from St. Louis, with a gunshot wound in the parking lot.

Williams was transported to a local hospital where he later died. Williams’ family has been notified.

 

During the investigation, Springfield Police Department Homicide Detectives identified and located the suspect in this case. The suspect was arrested for unrelated charges, but charges were not filed for their involvement in this incident, pending further investigation.

Once the investigation is complete, the case will be forwarded to the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office for review, and a decision will be made regarding the filing of criminal charges.

Detectives know that multiple people were present during this incident. They encourage anyone with information about this incident to contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 or make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 417-869-TIPS (8477) or online at p3tips.com.

Springfield gang leader, rapper, sentenced for illegal firearms

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

A Springfield, Mo., man who was a leader in a violent gang and part of a rap group was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing firearms.

Ezekiel Josiah King, 21, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to six years and six months in federal prison without parole.

On Jan. 16, 2024, King pleaded guilty to one count of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms. King admitted he was in possession of a loaded Glock .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, with an extended magazine that contained 29 rounds, and an Anderson AM-15 multi-caliber rifle, loaded with 31 rounds of .223-caliber ammunition.

King was driving a gold Nissan Altima that was stopped by Springfield police detectives on Feb. 15, 2022, for multiple traffic violations. King told officers he was driving erratically because he believed a rival gang was chasing him. In addition to the firearms, detectives found marijuana in the vehicle, as well as another extended magazine and two factory Glock magazines under the driver’s seat.

According to court documents, King – a leader of the FTO gang – engaged in a series of violent firearm offenses, many of which were part of a feud with a rival gang. In another traffic stop of a vehicle in which King was a passenger, on Oct. 23, 2022, law enforcement officers seized a loaded Anderson Manufacturing AM-15, AR-style pistol with an extended magazine loaded with 36 rounds that was at King’s feet. The ATF National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (“NIBIN”) conducted an analysis that indicated the pistol had been used in a recent drive-by shooting in Springfield.

In addition, according to court documents, King is a suspect or a person of interest in a shooting that occurred in downtown Springfield that resulted in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to a third, a robbery, a theft of a firearm, a shooting that left the victim paralyzed, and multiple drive-by shootings.

Co-defendant Jardell Carlin Williams, 20, also a leader of the FTO gang, was sentenced on Feb. 5, 2024, to six years and six months in federal prison without parole. Williams pleaded guilty to two counts of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms.

Williams, a passenger in King’s vehicle during the Feb. 15, 2022, traffic stop, admitted he was in possession of a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol. Detectives also located two more boxes of ammunition in the front floorboard.

Williams also admitted that he was in possession of a C3 Defense 5.56-caliber semi-automatic pistol when a vehicle, in which he was a passenger, was stopped by law enforcement on Oct. 22, 2022. The C3 Defense AR-style pistol was tentatively identified as being used in three shooting incidents in the Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kansas, areas.

Both King and Williams admitted they regularly smoked marijuana.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

Springfield man dies in 3-vehicle crash

(From the Springfield Police Department)

On Sept. 2, 2024, at 3:47 p.m., officers with the Springfield Police Department responded to a three-vehicle crash at Sunshine and West Bypass.

Michael Zapatka, 69, from Springfield, was driving a Ford Ranger in the inner-most left-hand turn lane on West Bypass to turn eastbound onto Sunshine. A black Mitsubishi Endeavor, driven by Cody Smith, 28, of Springfield, was traveling westbound on Sunshine, through a red light. The two vehicles collided into a blue Buick Park Avenue driven by Dominic Herron, 34, of Springfield.

 

Zapatka was transported to a local hospital and later released. On Sept. 5, Zapatka succumbed to his injuries at home. The Springfield Police Department was notified of Zapatka’s death by the Greene County Medical Examiner’s Office on Sept. 6.

The circumstances of the crash are part of an ongoing investigation.

Anyone with information is requested to contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 or the tips hotline at 417-869-TIPS.

This was Springfield’s 16th fatal motor vehicle crash in 2024.

Mount Vernon man killed in collision on I-44

A Mount Vernon man was killed in a two-vehicle accident 9 p.m. Wednesday on I-44 nine miles west of Springfield.

According to the Highway Patrol report, a 2013 Ford Fusion driven by Stephen W. Branstetter, 36, Mount Vernon, was traveling west on I-44 with heavy, slow moving traffic due to construction and attempted to change lanes to pass a 2019 Freightliner Cascadia tractor-trailer and struck the rear of the trailer.

Branstetter was pronounced dead at the scene by Greene County medical examiner Stephanie Muse at 9:35 a.m.

The fatality was the 71st this year for Highway Patrol Troop D.