Joplin man charged with trafficking after fentanyl, meth tossed out of vehicle during high-speed pursuit

The Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office filed drug trafficking and aggravated fleeing charges today against a Joplin man who allegedly led Joplin police officers on a pursuit on I-44, in which fentanyl and methamphetamine were tossed out the window.

The Joplin Police Department also recommended a driving while intoxicated charge against Corey Michael Walstead (DOB 1992), but that charge was not filed, according to court records.

From the probable cause statement:

On 02/25/2025, in Joplin Jasper County Missouri, Officer Blevins with the Joplin Police Department, observed a 2007 grey Chevy Trailblazer displaying Missouri registration (MO TJ5-B2D) VIN: 1GNDT13S872269512, make multiple moving violations that are indicative with impaired drivers. 

The driver was later identified as Corey Walstead at the conclusion of the stop. Officer Blevins and other Officers with the Joplin Police Department attempted a traffic stop in their fully marked patrol vehicles, by activating their emergency lights and sirens. 

Corey accelerated at a high rate of speed, fleeing from Officers. While Officers were pursuing Corey, he threw multiple bags out of his driver side window. Officers were able to locate the bags where they had been discarded by Corey. 

Corey eventually came to a stop on Interstate 44 westbound mile marker 311 in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. This was after Oklahoma Officers deployed stop-sticks and deflated multiple tires on the Chevrolet Trailblazer. Corey was then taken into custody after a High-Risk Vehicle Stop was conducted by Officers involved. 

Once Joplin Officers contacted Corey, they noticed his eyes appeared glossy with dilated pupils. His speech was slow and slightly mumbled as he repeated the same questions multiple times. Corey made the spontaneous utterance that he just threw a "rock" out. 

In my experience the term "rock" is commonly associated with narcotics. I later was asked to assist with the investigation. I then removed the suspected narcotics thrown from the vehicle and later seized by Officers from The Joplin Police Department Evidence Facility. 

I then removed the items from evidence, provided by the evidence technician. I observed multiple plastic bags, tied back into themselves and a folded piece a white paper. Inside both plastic bags was a white powder, I believe from my training, experience, and position as a Narcotics Detective to be Fentanyl. (Schedule II Controlled Substance).

 

When I unfolded the white paper, I also located more of the white powder. The two bags weighed 2.09 grams and 2.42 grams, respectively. There was also a bag of a white, more crystal-like substance. I believed this substance to be Methamphetamine (Schedule II Controlled Substance). This bag weighed 2.67 grams. I also observed six pink and purple pill capsules. These pill capsules contained a white powder inside five of them. The sixth capsule had been broken apart. 

I then utilized the TruNarc Device. I tested the white powder inside the folded piece of paper first, as it was the easiest to draw powder from. The substance inside the folded paper tested positive for Fentanyl Compound using the TruNarc Device. I then utilized the TruNarc Device on the bag of the white, crystal-like substance. This substance tested positive for Methamphetamine. I then scanned the white powder inside the tied plastic bags. The substance inside the plastic bags tested for Fentanyl Compound.

A warrant was issued for Walstead's arrest, but Jasper County Detention Center records do not indicate he is in custody.