Man accused of threatening officers with rifle after chase gets suspended sentence, five years probation


Stan Pellham. Courtesy of the Ozark County Jail.

During the Dec. 6 session of Ozark County Law Day, Stan Pellham, of Wasola, pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement with the state to possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest by fleeing, causing a substantial risk of serious injury or death to any person and unlawful use of a weapon. The charges stem from a Feb. 10 high-speed pursuit and stand-off with local officers. He was given a suspended imposition of sentence and placed on probation for five years. Friends and family members have commented on an Ozark County Times Facebook post indicating that Pellham is currently in the John 3:16 Ministries program, a spiritual bootcamp for men with addictions. 

According to the probable cause statement, Missouri State Highway Patrol officers informed Ozark County Sheriff’s Office that they were in pursuit of a flatbed truck headed west on Highway 160 toward Theodosia around 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10. Then-Ozark County Deputy Cecilia Boatner spotted Pellham driving the vehicle near Isabella and activated her emergency lights and siren in an attempt to stop him. Pellham turned onto County Road 863, traveling at a high rate of speed and crossing into the oncoming lane, the statement says.

Pellham continued to flee, reportedly turning the vehicle’s lights off several times in an attempt to evade the officer. Boatner wasn’t able to keep up with the vehicle on the county road, so she drove to Pellham’s residence and found him with the truck in a field. Other officers also responded to the scene, and Pellham threatened to shoot and run over them multiple times when they attempted to arrest him, the statement says.

After several minutes of the officers trying to talk Pellham into exiting his vehicle, Pellham finally handed Boatner a loaded and chambered .30-.30 lever-action rifle; however, he refused to leave his truck.The officers then attempted to force Pellham out the truck. As Deputy Curtis Dobbs stepped onto the truck’s running board, Pellham started the vehicle and began to drive away, dragging the officer a short distance. Dobbs discharged his pepper spray in an attempt to slow Pellham from fleeing, but the suspect continued to accelerate, causing the officer to jump from the moving truck, “barely missing the tires.”

Boatner and Dobbs were able to position their vehicles near an exit from the field. Pellham drove around the vehicles at a high rate of speed, crashed the truck into a tree and reportedly exited the vehicle and began running across the highway into the woods, the statement says. Dobbs pursued him and was able to apprehend him shortly afterward.

Officers had witnessed Pellham throw a small box from the window of his truck. According to the statement, the box was recovered and found to contain a glass smoking device commonly used for smoking methamphetamine and a clear bag containing a white crystal substance believed to be methamphetamine.

Ozark County Times

504 Third Steet
PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

Phone: (417) 679-4641
Fax: (417) 679-3423