Cape Fair man pleads guilt to multiple charges
Michael Shannon Evans, 47, of Cape Fair, was sentenced to seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections following his guilty plea in Stone County Circuit Court on March 1.
According to Stone County Prosecuting Attorney, Matt Selby, Michael Shannon Evans was arrested on August 30, 2020, after fleeing from a law enforcement officer after a traffic stop.
On that date, Kyle Coleman, a Reeds Spring police officer, observed a pickup with a broken windshield on Highway 76 and made a traffic stop. Officer Coleman also noticed a red golf cart in the back of the truck. After talking to the driver, who had been identified as Evans, the officer began walking back to his patrol vehicle when he heard Evans take off at a high rate of speed.
Officer Coleman got to his car and began a pursuit, but soon lost sight of the pickup due to traffic. However, a short time later Coleman found the vehicle on the side of the road in a residential neighborhood in Reeds Spring. Nearby residents informed him that the driver had jumped out of the pickup, got into a different vehicle, and left the area. The officer also learned that Evans had tried to take another vehicle by demanding the driver give him her car and showed a boxcutter while making the demands. The driver refused and Evans moved on.
About that same time a report was made to the Indian Point Police Department that the red golf cart had been stolen earlier that day from a residence on Indian Point. Coleman contacted the Indian Point officer Laughter and it was clear that they were dealing with the same golf cart and the same suspect.
Investigative reports from the Reeds Spring and Indian Point Police Departments were submitted to the prosecutor’s office and Evans was charged with felony crimes of tampering with a motor vehicle for taking the golf cart, resisting arrest, and exhibiting a weapon in a threatening manner. A warrant was issued and the defendant, Evans, was arrested within a couple of days. The prosecutor’s opposed bond due to the defendant being violent and a risk to flee from prosecution and has remained in the Stone County jail until his guilty plea on March 1. Circuit Judge David Cole sentenced the defendant to seven years in prison on the tampering count, four years in prison on the resisting arrest, and four years in prison on the weapons count.
“This case is a good example of law enforcement agencies within the county working together to bring a dangerous person to justice,” said Selby. “Officer Coleman and Indian Point Officer Laughter both did an excellent job in working their respective cases while also working together as the events were unfolding to catch this defendant and to protect the community from his actions.” Selby also made a point to note that “there seem to more and more cases of people fleeing from officers and putting innocent bystanders and other vehicles on the road at risk. These are very dangerous situations, especially on the hilly, curvy, roads here in Stone County. My office will continue to seek prison sentences in cases where people flee from law enforcement in motor vehicles.”
On that date, Kyle Coleman, a Reeds Spring police officer, observed a pickup with a broken windshield on Highway 76 and made a traffic stop. Officer Coleman also noticed a red golf cart in the back of the truck. After talking to the driver, who had been identified as Evans, the officer began walking back to his patrol vehicle when he heard Evans take off at a high rate of speed.
Officer Coleman got to his car and began a pursuit, but soon lost sight of the pickup due to traffic. However, a short time later Coleman found the vehicle on the side of the road in a residential neighborhood in Reeds Spring. Nearby residents informed him that the driver had jumped out of the pickup, got into a different vehicle, and left the area. The officer also learned that Evans had tried to take another vehicle by demanding the driver give him her car and showed a boxcutter while making the demands. The driver refused and Evans moved on.
About that same time a report was made to the Indian Point Police Department that the red golf cart had been stolen earlier that day from a residence on Indian Point. Coleman contacted the Indian Point officer Laughter and it was clear that they were dealing with the same golf cart and the same suspect.
Investigative reports from the Reeds Spring and Indian Point Police Departments were submitted to the prosecutor’s office and Evans was charged with felony crimes of tampering with a motor vehicle for taking the golf cart, resisting arrest, and exhibiting a weapon in a threatening manner. A warrant was issued and the defendant, Evans, was arrested within a couple of days. The prosecutor’s opposed bond due to the defendant being violent and a risk to flee from prosecution and has remained in the Stone County jail until his guilty plea on March 1. Circuit Judge David Cole sentenced the defendant to seven years in prison on the tampering count, four years in prison on the resisting arrest, and four years in prison on the weapons count.
“This case is a good example of law enforcement agencies within the county working together to bring a dangerous person to justice,” said Selby. “Officer Coleman and Indian Point Officer Laughter both did an excellent job in working their respective cases while also working together as the events were unfolding to catch this defendant and to protect the community from his actions.” Selby also made a point to note that “there seem to more and more cases of people fleeing from officers and putting innocent bystanders and other vehicles on the road at risk. These are very dangerous situations, especially on the hilly, curvy, roads here in Stone County. My office will continue to seek prison sentences in cases where people flee from law enforcement in motor vehicles.”