Judge denies bond reduction for Joplin man charged with ninth DWI

A Joplin man charged with felony driving while intoxicated as a prior offender and driving while revoked was rejected in his attempt to have his $10,000 cash-only bond reduced today in Jasper County Circuit Court.

Judge John Nicholas rejected the oral motion from Blake Engelage, 38, to have his bond lowered. The high bond was set because Engelage has already pleaded guilty or been convicted of drunk driving offenses eight times.


Engelage crashed his motorcycle in the area of E. 15th Street and S. Michigan Avenue September 29. After noticing Engelage smelled of alcohol and that his eyes were watery and bloodshot, a Joplin Police Department officer asked him to perform sobriety tests and he refused. He later refused to take a blood alcohol test, according to the probable cause statement.

Engelage's next hearing is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. November 6.