Month: July 2021

A man wanted in Arkansas on charges he tried to kill two police officers is in the Stone County Jail following a standoff Wednesday in Lampe.

Ben Reagan was stopped in Barry County for a vehicle violation.  During the stop, Reagan fled the scene on foot.  Barry County deputies then found a cache of weapons inside the car Reagan was driving, including C4 plastic explosive.  Reagan became a priority for area law enforcement after the discovery of the explosives.

An alert was sent to area law enforcement agencies about Reagan, who had been wanted in Arkansas since June 12^th for an attempted kidnapping where he shot at police. 

Stone County Sheriff’s Deputies joined Barry County Deputies to investigate a resident at 5621 East Highway 86 in Lampe, where Reagan may have been hiding.  When deputies arrived on the scene, they found inconsistencies among witness statements that lead deputies to believe Reagan was inside the residence.

Stone County Deputies formed a perimeter, and were soon joined by the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri State Highway Patrol, and U.S. Marshals.   After several hours, Reagan made phone contact with law enforcement and began negotiations.  Reagan finally walked out of the house with his hands up to surrender without incident.

Charges against Reagan in Missouri include Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Shooting from a Motor Vehicle towards or at a Motor Vehicle or Person; Unlawful use of a Weapon, Exhibiting a Weapon; Unlawful Possession of a Firearm; First Degree Property Damage; Driving while Suspended or Revoked; and multiple misdemeanors.  Arkansas charges include two counts of Attempted Murder of a Police Officer; Kidnapping; Aggravated Assault; illegal firearms possession, fleeing on foot, and multiple misdemeanors.

Reagan was being held Thursday in the Stone County Jail without bond.  If convicted on all charges in Arkansas he could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Three men have been charged with second degree murder in the February 1 slaying of 23-year-old Chandler Sweaney in his residence on West Chestnut in Springfield.

Paul Morales, 29, is facing charges of Second Degree Murder, Armed Criminal Action, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. Timothy Johnson, 32, was charged with Felony Murder for Death in Attempted Delivery of Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, First Degree Assault, Armed Criminal Action, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. Rickey Rose, 34, was charged with Felony Murder for Death in Attempted Delivery of Controlled Substance and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.

All three could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted on all counts.

Court documents say that Morales and Johnson went to Sweaney’s home on West Chestnut Street to see Rose, who had been renting a room from Sweaney. Rose took the two men to him room where the men had planned to buy drugs and a gun. Morales then shot twice at Rose, wounding him, before running out of the bedroom into the living room. He then fired at Sweaney and a witness before fleeing the scene.

Court documents say that an ATF agent contacted Springfield police, saying an inmate in Illinois who was a leader in the Gangster Disciples was recorded on a call talking to Johnson and Morales about the killing and robbery.

Morales and Johnson are both members of the Gangster Disciples street gang. Morales was on parole after serving 8 years on car theft and other crimes. Johnson had only recently been released after serving ten years for robbery. Morales was arrested during an April traffic stop, Johnson during a May traffic stop.

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Mercy Springfield held a press conference Wednesday to announce that they will be requiring all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Hospital officials said they would be requiring all staff to have both doses of the vaccine by September 30, 2021. Employees who refuse to get the vaccine could lose their jobs.

“It is essential that we take these steps in order to protect the health of our co-workers and our patients at Mercy,” Dr. William Sistrunk, Mercy infectious disease specialist, said in a statement. “As health care leaders in our communities, it is important we set the standard to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Vaccination is our best defense against the virus and already has provided many of our co-workers with the protection they need to care for our patients. Our goal is to ensure the safest possible work environment for our co-workers and patients while also being a part of the effort to stop the spread of the virus in the communities we serve.”

Mercy cited the “real-world impact” of vaccines in their announcement that they would require the vaccinations. They said the supermajority of Mercy patients with COVID were not vaccinated and that the Delta variant has caused a significant rise in cases and corresponding strain on the healthcare system.

“What we are seeing aligns with the Associated Press analysis of CDC data,” Dr. John Mohart, Mercy’s senior vice president of clinical services, said in a statement. “More than 95% of recent hospitalizations across the U.S. are people who aren’t vaccinated. The data is clear. Vaccination is key to saving lives.”

Mercy officials also said that both Pfizer and Moderna have applied to the Food and Drug Administration for full approval of their vaccines.

CoxHealth told KWTO in a statement they do not plan to require employees to get the vaccine at the current time, but will be re-evaluating their position if information changes.

“At this point in time, CoxHealth does not require COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment,” Cox said in their statement. “COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be highly efficacious and safe, can save lives, and end this pandemic. We strongly advocate for their use. However, we understand that many in our community are hesitant to become vaccinated, including some employees. It appears likely the Emergency Use Authorization, under which vaccines are currently available, may be removed shortly. A decision on the EUA status will further inform our decision about mandating vaccines, and we are hopeful that those that are hesitant may gain further confidence in the vaccine if full approval is granted. Meanwhile, we continue to follow the most strenuous CDC guidelines to assure we have a safe place to work and receive care.”

Springfield Public Schools announced late Tuesday they are going to require all students and teachers participating in their July summer programs to wear masks.

The district said they will provide masks for students who do not have one. The masking will be required until July 30, when the district will make a decision regarding masking beyond that date.

“In our ongoing evaluation of pandemic-related data, and in anticipation of a continued surge related to holiday gatherings over the July 4 holiday, we recommended that SPS implement these additional steps through the end of July,” Katie Towns, interim director of the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, said in a statement. “We appreciate our partnership with SPS and their willingness to adapt their protocols to best serve the public as positive cases, hospitalizations and related deaths continue to increase. It is our hope that the public will take this opportunity to get vaccinated to protect themselves and others from preventable illness.”

The district cited a number of reasons for their decision to return to mandatory masking:

• An increase in COVID-19 positive cases among SPS students and staff throughout Explore Session 1 in June.
• A current surge in COVID-19 positive cases in the community and region, many related to the Delta variant.
• A current surge in local hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19.
• An anticipated surge later this week from July 4 holiday celebrations.
• Ongoing low vaccination rates for Greene County – currently at 38.97 percent

Social distancing and other COVID restrictions that were in place during the school year will also be enforced.

“SPS will continue to evaluate data, in close collaboration with the health department, to determine any need for adjustments to this protocol after July 30. More information about masking and other health and safety guidance will be provided at that time,” said Dr. Grenita Lathan, Springfield Public Schools superintendent. “We thank the public for understanding of our need to adapt protocols, as the pandemic continues to impact our community, in order to help ensure the health and safety of all those we serve. It is our hope that immediate, proactive efforts will positively impact our community.”

CoxHealth is putting out a call nationwide for help.

Hospital officials said Tuesday at a press event that while the hospital is in desperate need of travel nurses and respiratory therapists.

“What is so challenging for us right now is the fact that in the winter we had a lot of traveling nurses here to help us,” Vice President of Clinical Services and Deputy Incident Commander for COVID-19 Response Ashley Kimberling said at the press conference. “It has been harder to find traveling nurses recently to come in and help support our team.”

CoxHealth CEO Steve Edwards had posted on social media before the press conference of the hospital’s severe need for extra staff.

“Call to arms Respiratory Therapists!” Edwards tweeted. “Springfield, Mo is struggling with surging Covid volumes. Cox has plenty of ventilators, PPE, but our heroic RT staff need reenforcements. If you are an RT and can come to our aid please call or text 417-269-5627 We would be so grateful.”

Kimberling said that six traveling nurses are starting today, but that staffing levels are well below the 280 that were on staff during the winter months and the initial surge of COVID-19. Kimberling noted the increase in patient load.

“We have been kind of staying at a census of around 95 to 105 COVID patients for about two weeks,” Kimberling said. “On June 5, we were at 35 patients.”

Cox officials say that the overwhelming number of cases are from the Delta variant, with a test from the state showing 50 of 56 patients sampled had the Delta variant. The hospital administration is concerned about a spike taking place because of the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

The man killed in a shooting on Independence Day in Ash Grove has been identified.

The Greene County Sheriff’s Office says the victim is Cory Estey, 47, of Walnut Grove. Deputies found his body after responding to a call about shots fired in the area of 8707 North Farm Road 43 in Ash Grove.

The gunman, Lakota Tucker, 20, claims the shooting was not intentional.

Court documents say that about half an hour after the deputies arrived on the scene, Tucker showed up and said he was the one who shot Estey.

According to court documents, Tucker told investigators that he went to the home to retrieve some belongings of his mother, who died in April 2021. Tucker said he moved out of the home in 2019, but had permission to be there to get his mother’s belongings.

Tucker had loaded a table from outside the house and took it to his current residence, and then returned, noticing a deer stand in a field and went to retrieve that. When he returned to the home, a man rushed out of the house and confronted Tucker. Tucker explained to the man that he was collecting his mother’s property.

The man, identified as Estey, told Tucker that he had already called law enforcement and demanded that Tucker “step out of the truck.” When Tucker tried to leave, Estey threatened to start shooting and walked toward the home. Tucker said he fired two shots from a rifle out the window as he fled the property.

“I didn’t want to kill him, I just wanted to (profanity) scare him,” Tucker said. Deputies found the rifle and magazine in Tucker’s home.

Tucker was in the Greene County Jail on $50,000 bonds, facing charges of second degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and armed criminal action.

Bolivar police have announced the identification of a body found in a field Friday evening.

Investigators say the body is of 26-year-old Charles Zornes of Bolivar. His body was found around 6:30 Friday night in a field at the corner of West Aldrich Road and Boston Street.

An autopsy is scheduled for July 6.

The death is being treated as a homicide although they have not released any details about a possible suspect.

Bolivar officials also said the Missouri State Highway Patrol will be taking over the investigation.

An official with Mercy Springfield said the hospital ran out of ventilators over the weekend and had to ship them in from sister hospitals.

Mercy CAO Erik Frederick posted on Twitter July 4 that 116 COVID patients were being treated in their hospital. Frederick said the staff “spent the night looking for ventilators because we ran out.” They had 47 patients who were requiring the use of a ventilator, although not all of them were COVID patients.

Mercy hospitals in St. Louis and Northwest Arkansas sent ventilators to Springfield.

Frederick updated Monday via social media that they were treating 115 COVID patients and that 50 patients in the hospital were on ventilators. He also stated that the hospital will be opening a second COVID intensive care unit and a second “step down” unit.

“Physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists are tired,” Frederick posted on Twitter. “Heck everyone is tired. Travel RN’s coming this week. Physician support being arranged. If you’re a RT, call us.”