Rogersville man killed in rollover crash on 60

A Rogersville man was killed in a one-vehicle crash 2:34 a.m. today on U. S. 60, two miles east of Springfield.

According to the Highway Patrol report, a 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Chad M. Miller, 31, Rogersville, ran off the roadway and overturned several times.







Dr. Jayardo at Cox South Hospital, Springfield, pronounced Miller dead at 1:03 p.m.

The fatality was the 84th this year for Highway Patrol Troop D.

Highway Patrol Arrests October 2-3

Heidi Johnson, 41, Seymour, felony warrant from probation and parole for possession of a controlled substance, felony possession of a controlled substance-heroin, felony possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamine, felony possession of a controlled substance-valium, felony possession of a controlled substance-suboxone, felony possession of a controlled substance- subutex, possession of drug paraphernalia, no valid license, no seat belt

Aaron L. Sartin, 31, Willard, driving while intoxicated (drugs), leaving the scene of an accident, changing lanes when unsafe

Brian R. Loehn, 27, Noel, careless and imprudent driving, driving while intoxicated








Joshua J. Smith, 32, Springfield, felony Greene County warrant for larceny, Springfield Police Department warrants for trespassing and larceny

Allen L. Laurie, 27, Aurora, felony Lawrence County warrant for dangerous drugs

Nicholas B. Hale, 34, Springfield, misdemeanor possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia

Joaquin A. Becerril, 55, Aurora, driving while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident, careless and imprudent driving

Chester L. Byrd, 65, Carbondale, Kansas, driving while intoxicated, speeding, possession of drug paraphernalia

Springfield Police Department releases name of victim in fatal car-pedestrian accident

(From the Springfield Police Department)

At 11:02 p.m. on Oct. 1, 2019, officers with the Springfield Police Department responded to the area of Kansas Expressway and Interstate 44 regarding a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian.

A red 2000 Jeep Wrangler, driven by 37-year-old Laine Smith of Springfield was entering the westbound merge lane onto Interstate 44 from southbound Kansas Expressway when it struck a female pedestrian who was walking in the roadway of the merge lane. 

 The pedestrian was transported by EMS to an area medical facility where she died from injuries related to the crash.

The pedestrian has been identified as 45-year-old Deanna R Fink-Gonzalez. Impairment is not suspected at this time. The investigation is ongoing as to the circumstances involved in the crash.

This is SPD's eleventh fatality motor vehicle crash of 2019.

State audit of 31st Judicial Court in Greene County released

(From State Auditor Nicole Galloway)

State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released an audit of the 31st Judicial Court in Greene County. The court received an overall rating of "good".

The audit recommended better budgeting practices for some circuit court funds. The court does not prepare budgets for three funds, two of which have accumulated excessive balances without formal plans for their use.

A fund supported by fees on civil case filings has a balance of more than $980,000, even though only about $80,000 was spent from the fund as of Dec. 31, 2018. The audit recommended reducing or suspending these fees if the court does not need them for operations.

The court responded to the finding by stating the fund balance will be used to upgrade courtrooms, outfit a new courtroom for an additional circuit judge position and support the Family Treatment Court program.

A separate audit of Greene County government as requested by the County Commission is ongoing.

A complete copy of the report is online here.

Spinning and weaving program scheduled at Nathan Boone Historic Site

(From Missouri State Parks)

Nathan Boone Homestead State Historic Site invites the public to the free program "Historical Skills: Spinning and Weaving" from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m, Saturday, Oct. 19.

Olive Boone,wife of Nathan Boone, was no stranger to crafting handmade items during her time on the homestead. Join site staff to see how residents of the Boone homestead transformed raw materials into finished goods. Try your hand at spinning cotton or operating a 19th century barn frame loom. 

Participants are encouraged to dress for the weather and wear insect repellent.

Nathan Boone Homestead State Historic Site is located 2 miles north of Ash Grove at 7850 N. State Highway V. For more information about the event, or for weather related cancellation information, call the historic site at 417-751-3266.

Pedestrian killed on Kansas Expressway

(From the Springfield Police Department)

On October 1st at 11:02 p.m., officers with the Springfield Police Department responded to the area of Kansas Expressway and Interstate 44 regarding a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian.

A red 2000 Jeep Wrangler, driven by Laine Smith age 37 of Springfield, MO, was entering the westbound merge lane onto Interstate 44 from southbound Kansas Expressway when it struck a female pedestrian who was walking in the roadway of the merge lane.







The pedestrian was transported by EMS to an area medical facility where she died from injuries related to the crash.

The pedestrian’s identity has not been released at this time, pending notification of her next of kin. Impairment is not suspected at this time.

The investigation is ongoing as to the circumstances involved in the crash.

This is the eleventh fatality motor vehicle crash in Springfield during 2019.   

Cassville man flown to Cox South after motorcycle crash

A Cassville man was injured in a one-vehicle accident 10 p.m. Monday on Farm Road 2140, five miles northeast of Cassville.

According to the Highway Patrol report, a 2001 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Skylan L. Fare, 32, Cassville, ran off the roadway and struck a fence.

Fare was flown to Cox South Hospital, Springfield, to be treated for serious injuries.

Highway Patrol Arrests September 30-October 1

Cassandra C. Hernandez, 38, Springfield, felony parole warrant-assault, displaying the plates of another, no seat belt

Ricky A. Cason, 57, Stockton, misdemeanor driving while intoxicated, careless and imprudent driving involving a crash

Mikael L. Werner, 19, Marshfield, misdemeanor Laclede County warrant for bad checks








Jair Vallejo Montoya, 29, Branson, driving while intoxicated, careless and imprudent driving

Melissa M. Dodd, 36, Springfield, felony tampering with a motor vehicle

Dustin Wood, 32, Marionville, driving while intoxicated, careless and imprudent driving, driving while suspended, possession of drug paraphernalia

Construction work to begin Thursday at intersection of Division Street and Commercial Street

(From the City of Springfield)

Construction work to improve safety at the intersection of Division Street and Commercial Street is set to begin Thursday, Oct. 3.

The Division Street and Commercial Street Intersection Improvement Project involves modifying the intersection into a more traditional configuration, straightening the lanes of Division Street to a traditional three-lane section of roadway and reconstructing Commercial Street to intersect at a 90-degree angle and new stop sign.

Sidewalks will be relocated to run parallel to the new roadway alignment and will include ADA accessibility upgrades.

This project is expected to last 60 days and will require the complete closure of Commercial Street for a significant portion of construction. Impacts to traffic will be announced with as much notice as possible.

The project is estimated to cost $213,000 funded through the 1/8-cent Transportation Sales Tax. The construction contractor for the project is A.T. Urban Development, Inc.

Springfield man sentenced to 17 years for meth trafficking

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

A Springfield, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than four kilograms of methamphetamine in Greene County, Mo.

Loueadry Earl John Powell Jr., 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 17 years and six months in federal prison without parole.

On April 8, 2019, Powell pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from March 22 to June 22, 2017, and to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

The investigation began when a federal postal inspector in Los Angeles, California, identified two suspicious parcels addressed to separate Springfield addresses on June 19, 2017. A federal postal inspector and Springfield police officers conducted a controlled delivery of one of those parcels. Although the parcel was not addressed to him by name, Powell was contacted at the residence of the address and accepted the package.

A controlled delivery of the second package was attempted, but the residence appeared to be unoccupied and no one answered the door.

Each of the parcels contained 2,234.2 grams of methamphetamine with a purity level ranging from 95 to 100 percent.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan D. Nguyen. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.