Court document indicates officials aware Joplin man killed in officer-involved shooting suffered from mental illness

Captain Nick Jiminez, Joplin Police Department spokesman, told the Joplin Globe Wednesday that he was not aware of any claims that David Ingle, 30, Joplin, who was shot to death during a confrontation with officers suffered from a mental illness, but if the JPD was not aware of it, others were.

In a plea agreement approved by Jasper County Circuit Court Judge Dean Dankelson and Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney Theresa Kenney May 20, Ingle admitted to driving while intoxicated on September 25, 2017 and said he had a mental illness.

In a section of the plea agreement form that asserts that the person who is pleaded guilty has a clear mind and is not mentally ill, Ingle wrote about his illness, but said it had no effect on his decision.

I am mentally ill, but it doesn't interfere with my ability to understand the procedures.

The DWI, Ingle's third, he acknowledged in the agreement, occurred after JPD received a report that Ingle was drunk and was creating a disturbance at 2517 S. New Hampshire, according to the probable cause report written by Officer Clay Collard.

Upon arrival, Ingle fled in his black 1998 Honda Accord. I attempted to stop Ingle with patrol car lights and siren activated as he backed from the driveway and turned northward onto New Hampshire.

Ingle immediately fled in the vehicle, failed to stop for a stop signon 22nd Street with his lighting equipment off. He continued onto Rowland Avenue where he traveled into a yard, crashing through a mailbox and several trash cans. He continued running several stop signs, turning north on Indiana, traveling off the traveled portion of the roadway.









He failed to recognize an eastbound turn at 15th Street, traveling onto the north curb. He fled eastbound above the posted 35 mile per hour speed limit, reaching approximately 80 miles per hour.

He drove into oncoming traffic as he jerked the vehicle from lane to lane and curb to curb several times, nearly losing control.

During this, several vehicles had to take evasive action to avoid a head-on collision. Ingle crossed Range Line Road on a red signal, without slowing, going airborne onto the entry roadway into Wal-Mart. He continued east, colliding with a pipe post, causing his vehicle to overturn into the Wal-Mart parking lot, destroying the post.

In addition to driving while intoxicated, Ingle was arrested for felony resisting arrest, felony property damage, careless and imprudent driving and failure to maintain financial responsibility.

During the May 20 hearing, under the plea bargain agreement, Dankelson sentenced Ingle to three years in prison, suspended the sentence, giving Ingle 30 days shock time and dismissed all charges but the DWI against Ingle.

It was another call about a disturbance being created by Ingle that brought Joplin police officers to 901 W. Kensington Road Tuesday night and ended in Ingle's death

From the JPD news release issued identifying Ingle as the victim:

Ingle was reported as a suspicious person yelling, screaming, and possibly on drugs by one caller.

The Joplin Police Department received a second call about Ingle’s behavior as officers were arriving.

The first officer arrived and observed Ingle running down the roadway then fall to the ground yelling and screaming.

Once the second officer arrived, they attempted to detain Ingle due to his erratic behavior. Ingle at this time resisted officers. 

Each officer fired their tasers at Ingle in an attempt to detain him safely. Ingle was able to resist through multiple deployments of the taser and engaged an officer.

During the taser deployments one officer was struck in the hand and she was unable to assist the other officer in detaining Ingle. The other officer at this time attempted to create distance with Ingle as Ingle engaged him. The officer fired his duty weapon striking Ingle, as Ingle was charging the officer. No weapons were located on scene.

Lifesaving efforts were completed by officers on scene until medical personnel arrived and transported Ingle to Mercy hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

One officer was transported to a local hospital for the injuries she sustained to her hand. She has since been released.

Both officers are on paid administrative leave in accordance with department policy pending an investigation being conducted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and JPD Internal Affairs. Both officers were wearing body worn cameras.

The body camera videos have not been made available to the public at this point while the investigation continues.