A Joplin man has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident, a felony, after allegedly hitting a woman leaving her with serious injuries July 25 and driving off without making any effort to help her.
The arraignment for Matthew Paul Arnold (DOB 2006) is set for 9 a.m. September 10.
The allegation is detailed in the probable cause statement.
On 7/25/2025, Officers were dispatched to an injury crash/leaving the scene of a crash involving a pedestrian near an address in Joplin, Jasper County, Missouri 64801.On 7/25/2025 Matthew Arnold was driving his 2013 Ford Focus (MO CA4J0P) at the time of the crash at location in Jasper Co Mo. Arnold then left the scene of the crash involving a pedestrian, Crystal Lightner.
Using a vehicle part (right side fog-light cover) left at the scene of the crash, officers were able to determine that the part came from a 2011 to 2014 Ford Focus. With the assistance of surveillance cameras (did not have the crash on camera) officers were able to narrow the search down to a Ford Focus Hatchback.
On 7/29/2025 officers located a Ford Focus Hatchback with a car cover on it at an address in Duquesne Mo. The vehicle was missing the part (right side fog-light cover) that was left at the scene of the crash and had damage consistent with the crash, to the front passenger side.
I contacted the registered owner of the Ford Focus, Matthew Arnold, via phone call. Arnold verified himself via social security number. Arnold said, "I hit a deer", "It was like 1230 last Friday", "I literally didn't stop or anything because I thought it was a deer."
Lightner sustained serious physical injury.
The case was investigated by the Joplin Police Department.
2 comments:
Put down the Damn Cell Phones -
Or don’t drink and drive… deer or no deer any good person would have stopped or atleast you’d think then covering up the car just suspicious
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