Joplin man arrested for DWI twice in same day, charged with assaulting hospital staff members

A $100,000 cash only bond has been set for a Joplin man who was charged by the Bates County Prosecuting Attorney's office today with driving while intoxicated, assault of a special victim, resisting arrest and careless and imprudent driving.

The DWI arrest was the second of the day for Brandon Gene Swartz (DOB 1988), according to the probable cause statement. He was cited earlier in Cass County and had been released in the care of a sober party.

The allegations against Swartz were detailed in the probable cause statement:

On Sunday, August 25, 2024, at approximately 1708 hours, Trooper C. J. Drum advised Troop A Radio of a careless and imprudent driver that was failing to maintain its right half of the roadway, south of Harrisonville, traveling southbound on Interstate 49, in Cass, County, Missouri. The vehicle was described as a new white Dodge Ram pickup with Oklahoma registration. 

Trooper Drum advised he believed this vehicle matched the description of a similar vehicle that was stopped earlier that afternoon in Cass County where the driver was arrested for driving while intoxicated. 

I was traveling southbound on Interstate 49, north of Route A, in Cass County, where I observed a white pickup matching the description of the careless and imprudent vehicle. I pulled to the right shoulder and waited for the vehicle to pass my location. 

The vehicle, a white 2024 Dodge 2500, displaying Oklahoma registration passed my location, and I attempted to overtake it. The Dodge traveled into Bates County by the time I overtook the vehicle. The Dodge continued southbound, north of Route AA when it failed to travel within its lane on several occasions and made lane changes failing to signal. 

I activated my emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop on the Dodge. At approximately 1711 hours, the Dodge accelerated away from me. I activated my continuous siren and advised Troop A Radio I was in pursuit. 

The vehicle fled southbound, exceeding the posted speed limit. The Dodge nearly struck several vehicles, made unsafe lane changes and failed to signal. The Dodge exited at Route AA and came to a stop. 

I exited my patrol vehicle and ordered the driver from the Dodge. I made eye contact with the driver as he motioned to the right as if he were going to pull over to a safer location. The Dodge then accelerated away from me and turned east onto Route E and I continued pursuing the vehicle. 

The Dodge traveled approximately 2.5 miles, failing to maintain the right half of the roadway, passed a vehicle and traveled to speeds up to 104 miles per hour. The Dodge began turning north and failed to negotiate a curve east of County Road NE 2483. The Dodge overturned and came to a stop facing west.

I exited my patrol vehicle and took the driver into custody without further incident. The driver was identified by his Missouri identification card as Brandon G. Swartz. I detected the strong odor intoxicants emitting from his breath as he spoke to me. Swartz mumbled, slurred his speech and spoke incoherently at times. 

At approximately 1715 hours, Swartz was placed under arrest for driving while intoxicated and resisting arrest. Swartz provided a sample of his breath in my intoximeter FST which tested positive for the presence of alcohol. 

Swartz was later transported by Bates County EMS to Bates County Memorial Hospital. After arriving at the hospital, Swartz became combative and began kicking some of the medical staff and spitting. 

Swartz kicked one medical staff member in the throat with his left leg, leaving a red contusion just above her collarbone. Swartz was eventually released with no evidence of serious injury and was transported to the Bates County Jail where he was placed on a 24-hour investigative hold.

The probable cause statement notes that Swartz has previously been arrested for theft, DWI, abuse, larceny, shoplifting, aggravated robbery, possession of a forgery device, forgery, resisting/obstructing an officer, and domestic assault. 

Sunday's DWI arrests were the second and third this year for Swartz. Jasper County Circuit Court records indicate Swartz has a September 11 hearing in Joplin Municipal Court on a DWI charge brought on by a March 26 Joplin Police Department traffic stop at 32nd and Rangeline.