A Carthage man who has been charged with DWI in connection with a fatality crash at 7th and Main that killed a Missouri Southern State University professor Saturday has a long history of driving under the influence.
At the time of the crash, Kenton C. Cowgill, 36, was free on $10,000 bond on a felony charge of delivery of a controlled substance after being arrested May 27 by the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team. His next hearing in that case is scheduled for July 12.
The DWI arrest is the third in less than four years for Cowgill. The Joplin Police Department arrested him November 18, 2017. Cowgill pleaded guilty September 11, 2018 in Newton County Circuit Court and was sentenced to three months in jail, then given a suspended sentence and placed on two years probation.
The Jasper County Sheriff's Office arrested Cowgill on the same charge four days earlier, on November 14, 2017. He pleaded guilty September 17, 2019 in Jasper County Circuit Court, was sentenced to six months in jail, given a suspended sentenced and placed on probation for one year.
On December 15, 2003, Cowgill pleaded guilty in Joplin Municipal Court to driving under the influence.
Cowgill's lengthy criminal history also includes a 2014 conviction for unlawful use of a weapon after he hit his wife in the face, aimed a rifle at his father-in-law and in a struggle with him over the weapon, accidentally shot two children, a four-year-old and a two-year-old.
Cowgill was originally charged with three counts of domestic assault and armed criminal action, but under a plea bargain agreement with the Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office pleaded guilty to the weapons charge and was sentenced to four years in prison. The sentence was suspended and Cowgill was placed on supervised probation for five years.
A Joplin Police Department news release describes the events that led to the fatality crash at 7th and Duquesne:
On July 3, 2021 at 8:23 am the Joplin Police Department received a report of a male driver passed out in a vehicle that was blocking a driveway in the 800 block of South Rex Avenue. Officers responded and located the vehicle and observed the driver was not conscious. Officers were able to wake the driver and found that he was showing signs of being intoxicated. While officers were conducting their investigation, the driver fled in the vehicle from officers going northbound on Rex Avenue.
While Joplin officers were attempting to catch up to the driver, a Duquesne Police Department officer was nearby and observed the vehicle fleeing and initiated a pursuit that went eastbound on 7th Street.
Shortly thereafter, Joplin Officers were notified the suspect vehicle was involved in a crash with two other vehicles at the intersection of 7th Street and Duquesne Road.
The driver of one of those vehicles, Robert D. McDermid, age 66 of Joplin, did not survive injuries sustained in the crash. Next of kin has been notified.
The driver of the suspect vehicle briefly attempted to flee from the scene and also discarded 94 grams of methamphetamine under the suspect vehicle. He was apprehended by officers and identified as Kenton C. Cowgill, age 36, of Carthage.
Following the incident, charges were filed for Driving While Intoxicated, Resisting Arrest and Delivery of a Controlled Substance. Cowgill is currently being held in the Jasper County Jail with no bond.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol is conducting the crash investigation and the Joplin Police Department is conducting the criminal investigation. The investigation into the incident is active and ongoing. Further details will be released as they become available.
Cowgill will be arraigned 8:15 a.m. Wednesday in Jasper County Circuit Court.
Why is he even out?
ReplyDeleteWhy is he able to get a car?
This guy should be locked up and never see the light of day.
WAKE UP - JOPLIN, MO
ReplyDeleteWhy as a Society do we Put Up and Think every Criminal can be Reformed. Just look at his Record on Case Net - 45-Different Cases - and these are just the ones that he got "Caught Doing"... Would you like him around your Kids or Family - - do we have to wait till he Kills one of your Kids, Family, or Friends - -
To the Judges, Prosecuting Attorneys, and Public Defenders - - STOP FEELING SORRY FOR HIM AND HAVE SOME SYMPATHY FOR HIS MANY PAST VICTIMS AND/OR FUTURE VICTIMS - - WHICH THERE WILL BE IF YOU KEEP SLAPPING HIM ON HIS WRIST - AND HOPING HE WILL CHANGE - - WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THESE JUDGES, PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS, AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS - TO DO THE RIGHT THING - - AND LOCK HIM UP. HE IS A HABITUAL OFFENDER/CRIMINAL - HE HAS BEEN GIVEN WAY MORE THAN 3-STRIKES - IT IS TIME TO SENTENCE HIM TO LIFE IN PRISON - - AND STOP HIM FROM HURTING OR EVEN KILLING SOMEONE.
Maybe it is time to take a hard look at the Courts and see why Judges are so prone to release these people on probation.
ReplyDeleteWow - Mr. Kenton C. Cowgill, has 45-Cases on Case Net, and was still on the Street.
ReplyDeleteMaybe if we have some Recall Petitions and Start Voting out these Judges and Prosecuting Attorneys - Until they start getting the Message - What the People Want and Deserve - and have them Stop making Deals with Defendant Attorneys or Public Defenders - Joplin and the other surrounding Cities - Judges, Attorneys are Notorious for their many Backroom Deals -
How about One of the Local Judges Richard Copeland, who Presided over one of Mr. Kenton C. Cowgill Cases - Judge Copeland, who himself was Driving Drunk and Killed some Kids over by Carl Junction - was found Innocent - because Magically - they Lost his Blood Samples - Yet the Good People of Southwest Missouri continued to keep Voting him into Office - You Don't Remember this Case - Do Some Research - - This Stuff Happens in Jasper and Newton County all the Time.
Remember - Scott Watson, former Prosecuting Attorney for Newton County was named CEO /President of McCune-Brooks Hospital / Mercy, in Carthage and was Stopped for Driving Drunk and was able to get it thrown out of Court - It is all about who you know and what Favors they Owe You.
How frustrating it must be for law enforcement officers to arrest dangerous people again and again and get them off the streets, only to see them given suspended sentences or probation and get back out there, where they continue to do harm. I wish every judge who hands out a suspended sentence or probation to a repeat offender would have to publicly justify the decision.
ReplyDelete