Local News – Friday, December 22nd, 2023

According to a report on KY3, authorities have arrested William Robbins who was wanted in a deadly hit-and-run pedestrian crash in Dent County. Robbins faces charges of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and tampering with physical evidence. David Davis died in the crash that happened on Highway 32 about three miles east of Salem on December 7th around 5:00 in the afternoon. According to the highway patrol report, Robbins did not stop after hitting Davis. The victim died at the scene of the crash.

The Dent County Commission met for its regular meeting Thursday morning in the courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams was in to share information on the CART receipts for December. She said Dent County received $79,382.35, which was down $756.24 from December of 2022 receipts of $80,138.59. Williams said that year-to-date the CART receipts are up $116,230.32, which is an increase of 14.23%. She also noted that the 2023 CART receipts total was $933,170.96. Sherry Lea was in from Healthy Dent County to present the annual Rural Addressing Contract in the amount of $15,000, which had no change from last year. The Commissioners approved the contract 3-0. She and the Commissioners also shared information about the 911 ARPA Grant to upgrade the system. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said that it was decided at the meeting he attended in Van Buren the five counties in the 911 region, which includes Dent County, would be splitting the counties share. Bob Parsons was in and he shared his resignation as alternate to the MRPC Transportation Advisory Committee, which he had been appointed to about eight years ago by the commission. The Commissioners re-appointed Willie Strader and Jamie Homeyer to the Enhanced Enterprise Zone and appointed Jeff Dotson and Nathan Wills to fill the two vacancies on the EEZ. In the road report, First District Commissioner Wes Mobray said his crews were out checking for downed or missing road signs. District Two Commissioner Gary Polk said grading was going to be done on Dent County Roads 3333 and 3335, plus brush was being cut on county road 2080. Polk also noted that some of his crew were checking for downed or missing road signs in the Boss area. Presiding Commissioner Larson emphatically reminded Dent County citizens of Missouri State Statute 137.130 which authorizes the county assessor to enter on to any property that they deem necessary to be re-assessed. An incident occurred last week where a property owner refused the assessor’s personnel to access the property, and used their vehicle to actually strike the assessor’s vehicle. As a result the assessor’s office personnel were taken to the hospital to check for injuries. Larson reminded everyone that the courthouse will be closed Monday and Tuesday in observance of Christmas. Larson reported on last week’s MRPC meeting where the External Relations Committee he serves on discussed the 2023 annual awards banquet and learned that it returned a profit of nearly $1,000. He also shared again the results of the TAC meeting where the Route TT Bridge over Crooked Creek near Sligo was voted the top priority in the Meramec Region and the Huzzah Creek Bridge on Highway 32 at Boss came in 1st in the medium priority category. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that bills were being approved for payment and she wanted to remind businesses that their statements must be in to the commission by noon December 28th for payment this year. Any statements submitted after that date will not be paid until after the 2024 budget is approved. Curley also said her office was very busy with budget preparations and end of the year paperwork. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday December 28th and the meeting is open to the public.

A Missouri man appeared in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to charges related to a carjacking and a gun store burglary in Phelps County. According to the report, 19-year-old Martavious Jones of Phelps County, was indicted September 27th on one carjacking charge and a charge of stealing a firearm from a federally licensed dealer. Jones pleaded not guilty Tuesday. The indictment accuses Jones of stealing a 2013 Nissan Altima on March 1st in Phelps County. It also accuses him of stealing firearms from a Rolla gun store on September 11th of 2022. A motion seeking to have Jones held in jail until trial says two men took four guns, including an AR-style pistol, as well as a large quantity of ammunition and firearm accessories from the store. The carjacking charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both prison and a fine. The stealing charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. The Rolla Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case. Charges set forth in an indictment are just accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.