News – Monday, May 4th, 2026
Dent County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew M. Curley has reported that Felton Metcalf, charged on Oct. 26th, 2024, has plead guilty on April 22nd, 2026. Metcalf was charged with aggravated fleeing, trafficking drugs in the second degree and felony driving while revoked, based on a probable cause statement submitted by Sergeant Michael Loveday of the Salem Police Department. Metcalf was sentenced to 12 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. According to the probable cause statement, Metcalf had fled a traffic stop with a Missouri State Trooper at Hwy. 32. In the ensuing chase, Metcalf’s vehicle reached estimated speeds in excess of 100 mph and ultimately collided with another vehicle, whose occupant was taken to a hospital for potential serious injuries. Following a search, a large amount of methamphetamine, approximately 74.5 grams, was located in Metcalf’s vehicle. Both vehicles were totaled in the crash.
The Salem Police Department have charged four individuals following a robbery and assault this past Saturday. Officers responded to a local hospital on Saturday regarding a male subject who sustained physical injuries related to a reported robbery. Two officers initiated an investigation that led to a coordinated operation with the Dent County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. As part of this joint effort, law enforcement officers secured a residence in the 300 block of East Second Street in Salem to preserve potential evidence. Occupants of the residence were detained during the operation and a search warrant executed. Officers located evidence consistent with an assault and robbery, as well as quantities of illegal narcotics and related paraphernalia. Four individuals were subsequently taken into custody and transported to the Dent County Jail. Following interviews with witnesses, victims, and suspects, the following individuals have been charged: Cheri Sturdivant, Steven McCarter, Larry Breeding, and James Dixon. McCarter, Breeding, and Dixon were all charged with robbery in the second degree and assault in the third degree. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
MoDOT has released that a project to replace the driving surface of the Little Piney Creek Bridge on Hwy. 63 at Yancy Mills is set to begin on Tuesday, May 5th. Contractors will narrow Hwy. 63 to one lane at the bridge, with a 10-foot width restriction. In order to leave one lane of
Hwy. 63 open during construction, temporary traffic signals will be in place to direct vehicles safely through the work zone. Motorists are urged to slow down and use extreme caution as they approach the work zone and the stopped traffic at the signals. Significant delays are expected and drivers may want to plan alternate routes during construction, which is expected to continue through early October 2026. Meanwhile, pedestrian facility upgrades continue in the city limits of Salem on Hwy. 19 and 32, with minimal traffic impacts expected during the project, which is expected to be completed by September 2026.
The Dent County Fire Protection District announced it has been awarded a $1,000 grant from the Meramec Regional Community Foundation (MRCF.) This grant will be utilized to support a limited-time free smoke alarm program, prioritizing households within the district which: have at least one household member age 65 or older; have a household member with a disability; or have children under the age of 18. In addition to providing smoke alarms, the district will assist with installation when needed. Residents who wish to apply for a free smoke alarm may call the fire station at 573-729-3250 or online at dentcountyfire.org.