Probable cause: Driver says he drank 10 banana shooters before hit-and-run death of Joplin woman

 

A Joplin man is being held without bond in the Newton County Jail after being charged with felony driving while intoxicated- death of another and leaving the scene of an accident in connection with the hit-and-run death Friday of Sheldonna W. Wood, 60, Joplin on Douglas Fir Road a half mile south of Joplin.

The Highway Patrol located and arrested Richard Scott Taylor, 35, Saturday at a home in Carterville where he had stayed the night, according to the probable cause statement.

From the statement:

During the investigation, I formed the opinion that Taylor was the driver of the vehicle, and he was impaired at the time of the crash. This opinion is based on the following: 

1.During the crash investigation, it was determined that a Dodge Dakota pickup drove westbound on Douglas Fir Road, traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck a pedestrian, and fled the scene. 

2. Taylor admitted driving his 2004 Dodge Dakota pickup when his airbags deployed; he was the sole occupant. 

3. Taylor admitted consuming ten (10) banana "shooters" between the hours of 1700 and 2000 on Friday, July 5th, and consumed nothing afterwards. 

4. When I spoke with Taylor, I detected a very strong odor of intoxicants emitting from his breath. 

5. I observed his eyes. They were very blood-shot and watery. 

6. His face was very flush.

 

7. Taylor admitted to driving his vehicle to the residence, where he was located, and stayed the night. 8. At 0909 hours Taylor submitted to a preliminary breath test. Taylor blew a .131 9. 

Witness 1, upon learning on Facebook that a fatality crash had occurred, and the vehicle described leaving the scene, matched the vehicle driven by Taylor. She located Taylor's vehicle parked behind her house, which was not visible from the roadway. 

As she observed damage to the front end of the pickup, she went outside and obtained a better look. She observed hair and bloodstains on the front end of the pickup, consistent with the initial report of the fatality crash. She immediately contacted 9-1-1 and reported the Incident. I arrested Taylor for leaving the scene of a traffic crash (felony), operating a motor vehicle ln a careless and imprudent manner (involving a traffic crash) and, driving while intoxicated (involving the death of another-felony.)