High-speed pursuit through Joplin leads to crash, two arrests

(From the Joplin Police Department)

07/25/2016 at 9:30 PM, Joplin Police attempted to conduct a traffic stop near 6th St. and Gray Ave. for multiple traffic violations including suspicion of Driving While Intoxicated.

The vehicle was a motorcycle that, in addition to the operator, had a passenger. The traffic stop was initiated at 6th and Gray in the east alley and the vehicle fled.

During the pursuit the motorcycle failed to yield or stop at posted signs and was traveling well over the speed limit with speeds approaching sixty-miles per hour. After a circuitous route, the motorcycle was eastbound on A St. and failed to stop at the stop sign at Wall Ave. The motorcycle and passengers were struck by another vehicle that was traveling north on Wall Ave at A. St.

 (The pursuit route was as follows: the vehicle failed to stop and continued north through the alley to 5th St., the motorcycle continued east on 5th St, (5th St. is a one way traffic from Main St. to Pearl. Ave.), south on Joplin, west on 10th St. to Maiden Lane, north on Maiden Lane to Perkins, east on Perkins to Maiden Lane, north on Maiden Lane to Murphy Blvd, east on Murphy Blvd to Richmond, south on Sergeant, east on Richmond, south on Sergeant to E St., west on E St., south on Jackson, east on B St., south on Pearl, east on A St., to Wall Ave.)

The motorcycle operator and passenger sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries. The operator, Anthony Barandas was transported to Freeman Hospital by METS. The passenger, Cassandra Mayek, was transported to Mercy by METS. Barandas was arrested for Assault in the 2nd Degree, Driving While Intoxicated, and Felony Fleeing.