A Missouri man accused of fleeing a traffic stop didn’t make it very far before the route took him off the road entirely. The Henry County Sheriff’s Office says 47-year-old Shawn Kevin McDowell drove through a yard and struck a parked vehicle before his early-morning pursuit came to an end.
Deputy Stevens and Deputy Napier attempted to stop the vehicle shortly after midnight on September 16 in the 100 block of North Main Street in Clinton. According to the sheriff’s office, the driver instead fled and deputies began pursuing the vehicle.
The pursuit eventually reached the 100 block of South Carter Street, where authorities say the vehicle traveled through a yard. It then struck a parked vehicle and stopped, bringing the pursuit to an abrupt end.
Deputies identified the driver as McDowell, 47, of Deepwater, and took him into custody. The sheriff’s office initially said McDowell was placed on a 24-hour investigative hold while formal charges related to DWI, fleeing, and driving while revoked or suspended were pending.
Jail Records Confirm 3 Charges Following Pursuit
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Henry County inmate records show McDowell was booked by the sheriff’s office at approximately 3:53 a.m. on September 16. His booking information lists a DWI charge and specifies that it involves a prior offense.
McDowell is also charged with resisting arrest, detention, or a stop by fleeing while creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death to another person. The third charge listed in his inmate record is first-offense driving while revoked or suspended.
The available booking information lists $0 beside each of McDowell’s three charges instead of a bond amount. His arrest came less than four hours after midnight and roughly three hours after deputies said the pursuit began.
Pursuit Was One of 52 Calls and Activities in 24 Hours
The pursuit was only one part of what the Henry County Sheriff’s Office described as an especially active 24-hour period. Deputies handled 52 calls and activities during that span and completed six offense reports.
Those activities included 14 traffic stops, seven follow-ups, seven public service calls, three building checks and two traffic pursuits. Deputies also responded to two disturbances, welfare checks and other calls that were not individually detailed by the department.
Sheriff Aaron Brown said his staff had been “extremely proactive” throughout the week and credited deputies, detectives, law enforcement partners, and residents for their work and cooperation. McDowell’s charges remain accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.