Suspect shot by officers in 2022 files lawsuit against Joplin Police Department

A Joplin man who pleaded guilty October 22 to a resisting arrest charge is suing the Joplin Police Department for assault and battery in connection with the events that led to the arrest and put him in critical condition in a local hospital.

Scott Peggram, 37, who is currently awaiting trial for tampering with a motor vehicle in the first degree, filed the lawsuit August 24 in Jasper County Circuit Court.

The circumstances that led to the officer-involved shooting are spelled out in the petition, including Peggram's hitting two police cars with his vehicle.

On the morning of July 23, 2022, Plaintiff was asleep in a gray 2016 Honda Pilot, parked in front of 2431 Annie Baxter Avenue, Joplin, Missouri. 6. Officer Jeff Flener of Joplin Police Department was on patrol in the area when he saw the Honda Pilot parked in front of 2431 Annie Baxter Avenue, Joplin, Missouri, without a properly displayed registration and activated brake lights. 

Officer Flener ran a license check on the Honda Pilot and the vehicle came back as stolen and noticed that there was a white male sleeping in the driver’s seat. Officer Flener spoke with a nearby resident who identified the white male in the Honda Pilot as Scott Peggram. 

Officer Flener ran a computer check on Scott Peggram which revealed that he had multiple outstanding warrants. Multiple Joplin Police Department police officers arrived on scene per Officer Flener’s request. 

Once Defendant officers were on scene, several Defendant officers approached the gray Honda Pilot, looked inside the vehicle, shined a flashlight in the vehicle but never attempted to wake Plaintiff.

Defendant officers blocked the Plaintiff vehicle by parking one patrol car vehicle directly in front of the Plaintiff vehicle and another directly behind the Plaintiff vehicle in order to prevent Plaintiff from fleeing. 

Defendant officer placed stop sticks around the back driver’s side tire of the Plaintiff vehicle in order to prevent Plaintiff from fleeing. Plaintiff remained asleep throughout all steps that Defendants took to prevent him from fleeing. 

Defendant officers positioned themselves around the Plaintiff vehicle and gave commands over their PA system. Plaintiff wakes up and sits there for a little over a minute before placing the vehicle in reverse and then drive. Plaintiff attempts to reverse and drive forward multiple times. In doing so, he strikes the patrol cars directly in front of and behind his vehicle. 

Defendant officer fired beanbag rounds at the driver side window of the Plaintiff vehicle which ricocheted off the window. Defendant officers opened fire on Plaintiff. Plaintiff remained seated in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. Plaintiff did not point a weapon at any officer. 

Plaintiff was shot six times to his upper back and left shoulder area. One of these rounds bounced off of his shoulder and a fragment went into the base of his right neck under his skull. Another bullet or bullet fragment bounced off his skull causing a depressed skull fracture. 

Even as Defendant officers could tell Plaintiff had been shot multiple times and posed no risk to the Defendant offers or anyone else, he was pulled out of the vehicle, thrown to the ground, and violently placed under arrest. 

This entire incident is captured on video.

The lawsuit claims Peggram has suffered permanent injuries including the following:

a. Multiple gunshot wounds to left upper back and left shoulder; 

b. Open left clavicle fracture; 

c. Open left scapular fracture; 

d. Left pulmonary contusion, 

e. Injury to left brachial plexus; 

f. Skull fracture to the left frontal parietal region; 

g. Subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral contusion; 

h. Severe pain; 

i. Psychological fear and trauma; 

j. Emotional and mental anguish;   

k. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Listed as defendants in the lawsuit are the Joplin Police Department, Officer John Isenmann, Officer Benjmain Eckels and Officer Chandler Connell.

Peggram, who is asking for a jury trial, is represented by Thomas J. Porto of the Popham Law Firm in Kansas City and Spencer J. Webster of Webster Law LLC in Kansas City.