Joplin woman arrested seventh time for DWI, fourth time in last six months

A Joplin woman was arrested for driving while intoxicated January 29, the seventh time she has faced that charge and the fourth time she has been cited in the past six months.

A Missouri Highway Patrol trooper pulled her over after Bird nearly caused an accident in front of him, according to the probable cause statement.

I was traveling eastbound on 7th street behind a black jeep wrangler who was also traveling eastbound. After traveling over the bridge west of Minnesota Avenue, A blue Lexus sports utility vehicle crossed 7th street on Minnesota Avenue at a high rate of speed. The Lexus nearly struck the Jeep and continued traveling southbound at a high rate of speed. 

I turned right onto Minnesota Avenue and overtook the vehicle. I activated the front antenna of my RADAR unit and checked the Lexus traveling at 40 miles per hour and this was after it had slowed down. The vehicle turned into a parking lot and stopped on its own. 

I turned on my emergency lights and pulled into the parking lot behind the vehicle. 

I contacted the driver of the vehicle, who was later identified as Brittney N. Bird. Ms. Bird explained to me that she was "racing" to the business we were in front of to check for a potential burglar. She advised me that she had a revoked license and stated she had a special driving privilege to drive to work and back. 

While speaking with Ms. Bird, I could smell the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from her breath and person. I noticed Ms. Bird's eyes were extremely bloodshot and glassy and she kept repeating the same things multiple times to me. 

Ms. Bird was slurring her words and seemed extremely nervous. I asked Ms. Bird to exit the vehicle and sit in my patrol car and she did not want to sit in my patrol car. I asked her why and she stated, "because you're going to do what you do."

Ms. Bird kept trying to divert the conversation and kept trying to call her boss, even though I asked her repeatedly not to. Based on her actions and statement's I requested back to respond to my location. I performed the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test, and her eyes showed all six clues, as well as vertical nystagmus. I placed Ms. Bird under arrest with the assistance of Joplin Police Department's Officer Kory Blevins. 

During the arrest Ms. Bird became extremely aggressive and would not let us speak with her. Ms. Bird repeated her lawyer's name several times and would not have a normal conversation.

Bird is scheduled to be arraigned in trial court Monday for her fourth DWI arrest, which occurred July 3, when a Webb City police officer pulled her over for a lane violation.

Bird waived her preliminary hearing and was bound over for trial October 31 and was scheduled to be arraigned December 11 in Jasper County Circuit Court. Her attorney, Brian Glades, showed, but Bird failed to appear and the arraignment was rescheduled, according to online court records.

Forty-seven days after the July 3 arrest, the Joplin Police Department arrested Bird for DWI.

The probable cause statement on the August 19 arrest, her fifth, said it took place in Joplin's bar district where Bird allegedly sideswiped a vehicle that was parked on the side of the road.

The statement indicates Bird's eyes were bloodshot and watery, her breath smelled of alcohol and she did not do well on the field sobriety tests.

The charge on the August 19 arrest, appears to no longer be on Jasper County Circuit Court online records.

Bird's sixth DWI arrest took place November 29. In the probable cause statement, the Joplin Police Department officer noted the danger he felt Bird poses to the public.

This arrest marks the third time in four months the Suspect has been arrested for Felony DWI and poses and very clear, and documented danger to society. Suspect shows a lack of regard for the safety of both herself and the citizens of Jasper County.

Despite having seven DWI arrests, online court records do not show she has ever been convicted on that charge.

Plea bargain agreements with the Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office reduced two of Bird's previous DWI arrests to guilty pleas on excessive blood alcohol content. During the first case, she was arrested by the Jasper County Sheriff's Office October 16, 2009 and pleaded guilty to the reduced charge December 28, 2010.

She was sentenced to seven days in jail, which she had already served, fined $500 and assessed $141.50 in court costs, according to online court records.

After the Webb City Police Department arrested for drunk driving January 14, 2012, Bird reached another plea agreement with the Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office and once again pleaded guilty to excessive blood alcohol content, was fined $500 and assessed $141.50 in court costs.

The probable cause statement for the July Webb City arrest says the Joplin Police Department also arrested Bird for drunk driving February 10, 2010, "but it shows {the case} as closed."

Following the Webb City arrest, Bird's attorney at the time, Brian Glades, petitioned the court to direct the Department of Revenue to restore Bird's driving privileges arguing the police did not have probable cause to stop his client.

Judge John Nicholas issued the stay order July 17 allowing Bird to continue driving.

The stay expired September 21, according to court records. On that day, following a hearing before Judge Nicholas, the case was continued until December 14. Online court records do not indicate whether that hearing was held.

On November 30, the day after Bird's previous DWI arrest, attorney Jared Stilley filed a petition to review the decision to revoke Bird's license following her arrest. A hearing was held January 4 and Judge Nicholas continued the case until December 12, 2024, according to court records.