There are plenty of ways to make a police stop so much worse than it has to be. Speeding away, refusing to get out of the car, and threatening officers are all pretty high on the list.
Throwing a bag of mini donuts at a deputy before trying to stab him with a box cutter? That’s probably a new one.
According to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri, a routine traffic stop early Sunday morning spiraled into a high-speed pursuit, a lengthy standoff, and an arrest that involved six box cutters, a taser deployment, and one of the strangest distractions you’ll read about this week.
Fortunately, no officers were seriously injured, and the suspect was ultimately taken into custody.
The Traffic Stop Went off the Rails Almost Immediately
According to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy first spotted a vehicle speeding and changing lanes without signaling around 3:52 am on July 12 along Interstate 435 near Shoal Creek Parkway. Dispatchers also discovered that the license plate attached to the vehicle belonged to a different car.
When the deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the driver sped away. During the pursuit, authorities say the suspect swerved between lanes, drove off the roadway, struck both a yield sign and a low-hanging tree, and eventually returned to Interstate 435.
The chase finally came to an end near Cookingham Road after a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper performed a Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI), bringing the vehicle to a stop.
Mini Donuts Somehow Led to a Box Cutter
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as 59-year-old Scott K. Adkins of Independence. Police said he refused repeated commands to exit and behaved erratically while reaching around inside the vehicle, causing officers to believe he may have been searching for a weapon. Negotiators attempted to convince him to surrender, but authorities say he refused and told officers they would have to kill him.
When the suspect became distracted by looking at his phone, a Clay County deputy broke one of the vehicle’s windows in an attempt to get him out.
To make things even worse for himself, Adkhins first swung a bag of mini donuts at the deputy before thrusting an extended box cutter toward him. The deputy avoided the attack, and officers backed away while negotiations continued.
Authorities say the suspect later drifted in and out of consciousness before beginning to stab himself in the abdomen. A deputy with the Platte County Sheriff’s Office then deployed a Taser, allowing officers to safely take him into custody.
Six Box Cutters Later, the Standoff Finally Came to an End
Adkins was transported to a hospital, where officials said his self-inflicted injuries were determined to be superficial. Deputies also recovered six box cutters from inside the vehicle.
He has been charged with second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, armed criminal action, and aggravated fleeing from law enforcement under Missouri’s Valentine’s Law. His bond has been set at $200,000.
Authorities also said additional charges related to driving while intoxicated could be filed depending on pending laboratory results. Fortunately, an update was made in the comments by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office that reads, “A review of crime scene photos and body camera footage indicates the mini donuts were Hostess Donettes. However, the bag was crumpled in such a way as to not reveal the flavor. Our sincere apologies that we are unable to determine that at this time.”