Probable cause: Joplin man tried to force woman to give him oral sex while his four-year-old was in the car

A Joplin man tried to force the driver who gave him and his four-year-old son a ride to give him oral sex while the car was in motion, according to a probable cause statement filed today in Jasper County Circuit Court.

Thomas Glen Bridges, 22, is charged with two felonies, first degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child and is being held in the Jasper County Jail on a $50,000 cash-only bond.

The probable cause statement details the allegation:

On December 2, 2018, Thomas Bridges committed the offense of sexual abuse in the first degree, endangering the welfare of a child in the second degree and assault in the fourth degree against C. T. while they were traveling in a vehicle near the intersection of E. 50th Street and South Main Street, Joplin,  Newton County Missouri.




During this incident, C. T. was providing Bridges and his four-year-old son a ride from the 2200 block of S. Bird Avenue to a location near Saginaw, Missouri. Bridges was intoxicated and began making physical advances toward C. T. by touching her arm and shoulder.

C. T. told Bridges to stop as he continued touching her. Bridges put his hand under C. T.'s shirt and grabbed her breast then began pulling her head in the direction of his genitals by her hair. 

C. T. reported she had to pull the car to the side of the road when they were near Mercy Hospital because she was afraid of Bridges causing her to crash the vehicle which could have caused injury to Bridges' child and herself.

The Joplin Police Department arrested Bridges at 5:40 a.m. Monday, according to the statement.

Bridges also faces a felony first degree sexual abuse charge in Newton County in connection with the same activity.