Smithton Man Arrested on Multiple Charges Following High-speed Chase

The Missouri State Highway Patrol arrested 32-year-old Brandon L. Paxton of Smithton at 10:56 p.m. Wednesday in Cooper County.

According to the Probable Cause Statement, On January 8, 2024, at approximately 2226 hours, Officers overheard Cooper County radio traffic indicating a 1997 Honda Accord, bearing Missouri registration, was stolen from a residence on 6th Street, in Boonville. The victim reported the suspect was traveling east from his residence on city streets. Officers began to travel to the area of Missouri 87 and Interstate 70 to search for the stolen Honda. At approximately 2230 hours, they overheard Boonville Police radio traffic indicating an Officer was attempting to catch up to a vehicle matching the description of the stolen Honda. The Boonville Police Officer stated the vehicle he observed was traveling south on Missouri 87 at a high rate of speed.

At approximately 2032 hours, Officers traveled north on Missouri 87, north of Interstate 70. A vehicle was traveling south toward Officers at a high rate of speed. Officers activated the in-car radar unit and checked the vehicle at 115 miles per hour when limited to 55 miles per hour. Emergency lights were activated because they believed it was the stolen Honda. As the vehicle passed, it was confirmed to be the stolen Honda. Officers activated the emergency sirens and positioned themselves behind the Honda. The Honda displayed Missouri registration. The Honda failed to yield to emergency lights and sirens, and turned east onto Interstate 70.

On Interstate 70, Officers used the in-car radar unit and checked the Honda at 110 miles per hour when limited to 70 miles per hour. The Honda changed lanes from the driving lane to the passing lane without activating its turn signal. The driver of the Honda was wearing a grey hood or covering over his head. The Honda maintained the left lane of Interstate 70, even though there was no traffic around it. As the pursuit continued, Officers saw the driver had removed the gray hood or covering from his head, and saw he was wearing a black stocking cap. Officers observed the Honda failed to signal when it changed lanes from the passing lane to the driving lane, and immediately onto the eastbound exit ramp at the 111 mile marker.

The Honda failed to stop at the stop sign prior to Missouri 179, and it turned right onto Missouri 179. The Honda accelerated and continued attempting to flee. The Honda traveled over the centerline and traveled south in the northbound lane. The Honda returned to the southbound lane for a time, until it traveled into the northbound lane for a second time. As they traveled south on Missouri 179, the roadway became partly covered with snow and ice. As the Honda traveled south on Missouri 179, south of Route V, it traveled too fast for roadway conditions and began to slide. The Honda exited the left side of the road and struck a ditch.

As Officers arrived at the Honda, they observed the driver had fled on foot. They observed fresh footprints in the snow leading away from the vehicle and into the woods. Officers began following the footprints in the snow, and they traveled north through the snow. Officers found a single black glove on top of the snow in the area of the footprints we were tracking. Officers followed the footprints in the snow, coming to an address. [At this point in the PCS, a private address is redacted.] As Officers followed the footprints toward the front of the house, they observed a white male subject sitting on the front porch of the residence. The white male was later identified as Brandon L. Paxton. It was observed Paxton's jeans were torn at his knees, and he had bright red scratches on his knees.

Based on the footprints in the snow leading from the crash scene to this residence, current low temperature weather conditions and their observations of Paxton, it was suspected he was the driver involved in the pursuit of the Honda. Officers began giving commands to place Paxton in handcuffs and he complied. Officers asked Paxton if he lived at the residence, and he stated he did not. Paxton stated he had walked from Boonville to the residence. The current temperature at the time Paxton was detained was approximately 9 degrees. It did not seem likely Paxton walked approximately 9 miles from Boonville to the current location.

As they assisted Paxton to a standing position, Officers observed a black glove on the concrete under Paxton. They recognized the black glove as similar to the glove found while following the footprints in the snow. Officers asked Paxton if the black glove was his, and he initially stated it was his property, but quickly retracted his statement and said it was not his. A gray "hoodie" style sweatshirt and gray sweatpants on the concrete near the chair Paxton was sitting in when Officers located him. Paxton stated the sweatshirt and sweatpants belonged to him. A blue ski mask was located with Paxton's clothing. Officers recognized the color of the blue ski mask matched the color of the blue stocking cap they had observed the driver of the Honda was wearing during the pursuit. Paxton denied involvement with the pursuit and denied stealing the Honda.

Cooper County Sheriff's Office transported Paxton to the Cooper County Detention Center. Paxton received citations for charges of:
Exceeded the Posted Speed Limit (Exceeded by More than 26 Miles Per Hour), Failed to Drive on the Right Half of the Roadway - Resulting in an Accident, Failed to Drive in the Right Lane of a Highway Having Two or More Lanes in the Same Direction, Failed to Yield to an Emergency Vehicle Sounding Siren and Displaying Emergency Lights, Operated a Motor Vehicle in a Careless and Imprudent Manner - Resulting in an Accident, Failed to Signal When Turning Left or Right, Failed to Stop for Stop Sign, and Leaving Scene of Accident - Hit and Run. Paxton was held on felony charges for Tampering with a Motor Vehicle - 1st Degree and Resisting/Interfering with Arrest for a Felony.

Get our free mobile app

Paxton was taken to the Cooper County Detention Center for a 24-hour hold. Bond was issued at $100,000 cash or surety.