Inside the Ozarks

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Veterans, active military invited to fish for free at Roaring River State Park September 16

(From Missouri State Parks)

Roaring River State Park invites veterans and anyone actively serving in the military to fish for free Saturday, Sept. 16.

At Veterans’ Free Fishing Day, which runs from 7:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m., there will be no license or daily tag fee. Eligible anglers can pick up their free daily trout tag at the park store Sept. 15 or any time during the event Sept. 16. All other fishing regulations still apply.

Roaring River State Park is located 7 miles south of Cassville on Highway 112 in Barry County. For more information, contact the park office at 417-847-2539.

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Springfield Police Blotter: Shots fired, drunk drivers, domestic assault cases investigated

(From the Springfield Police Department)

FROM THE BLOTTER

Early Tuesday morning, an officer on patrol pulled over a car for displaying plates that didn’t match the vehicle.

The driver, Richard Womack, 45, was moving erratically and, when officers attempted to detain him, Womack resisted. When additional officers arrived, Womack was arrested. Officers searched the vehicle and seized two firearms, marijuana, and controlled substances.

Womack was arrested and booked into the Greene County Jail for resisting arrest, assault on a special victim as well as an outstanding warrant.

***

Officers responded to an assault in the 2100 block of N. Clifton on Monday night. Callers reported hearing a disturbance and shots fired.

Vernell Hale, 23, discarded a firearm then ran from the scene and was detained after a short foot pursuit. A K9 with the Greene County Sheriff's Office located the discarded firearm. After further investigation, officers learned that Hale assaulted two juveniles.

Hale was arrested and booked into the Greene County Jail for assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and resisting arrest.

***
Officers were dispatched to the report of an intoxicated driver in the 1700 block of S. Campbell in the early morning hours on Monday.

The driver, Arveonia Williams, 25, was parked with the vehicle hanging over a retaining wall. After further investigation, officers determined Williams was intoxicated and had a child in the vehicle.
Williams was arrested and booked into the Greene County Jail for driving while intoxicated and child endangerment.

***

On Saturday morning, officers responded to a domestic assault near Nichols and Kansas.

After a disturbance between the victim and Bobby G. Tipton, 41, at their home, the victim left the scene in a vehicle and Tipton followed. Near the intersection of Nichols and Kansas, Tipton intentionally hit the victim’s vehicle with his vehicle.

Officers arrested Tipton, a felon who was also in possession of a firearm, and booked him into the Greene County Jail for domestic assault, assault, child endangerment, and unlawful use of a weapon.

Rogersville man sentenced to 25 years for sexual exploitation of children

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

A Rogersville, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for the sexual exploitation of two child victims.

Jake Ethan Patterson, 28, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Patterson to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration.

On Dec. 20, 2022, Patterson pleaded guilty to two counts of the sexual exploitation of a child.

The investigation began in June 2021, when Canadian law enforcement authorities seized two cell phones belonging to a citizen of Canada. Forensic analysis of the cell phones uncovered Snapchat conversations with Patterson. During those conversations, Patterson shared multiple videos and images of child pornography involving two young children who were approximately three to five years old.

Law enforcement officers interviewed Patterson, who admitted to producing the sexually explicit images of the child victims. Patterson also admitted he had additional child pornography stored on his cell phone.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the FBI, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

Sunday, September 10, 2023

Three Springfield, Greenfield residents airlifted to Cox following head-on collision

Four people were injured in a two-vehicle collision 2 p.m. today on MO 39 eight miles south of Stockton.

According to the Highway Patrol report, a 2005 Ford 500 driven by Wylie S. Satterfield, 18, Greenfield and a 2016 Jeep Renegade driven by Kacy T. Macasieb, 22, Springfield, collided head on in the northbound lane.

Satterfield, a passenger in his vehicle, a 16-year-old Springfield girl, and a passenger in the Macasieb vehicle, Paxton G. Cook, 26, Springfield, were airlifted to Cox South Hospital, Springfield, with serious injuries.

Macasieb was treated for minor injuries at Cox South.

Republic man flown to Cox South after water skiing accident

A Republic man was injured in a water skiing accident 2 p.m. today on Table Rock Lake five miles east of Blue Eye.

According to the Highway Patrol report, a Ricky L. Daugherity, 65, Ozark, driving a 2023 Harris Pontoon, was attempting to retrieve Jean P. Herrera, 41, Republic, on a wakeboard. Herrera fell and was trying to retrieve the rope when he was struck by the propeller.

Herrera was airlifted to Cox South Hospital, Springfield, to be treated for serious injuries.