Traffic stop turns into high speed chase

BLOOMFIELD - A routine traffic stop by County law enforcement abruptly turned into a high-speed chase involving multiple law enforcement agencies and ended with a flaming vehicle in Dexter Friday, July 18.

According to the warrant affidavit filed with the Stoddard County Sheriff's Office, Deputy Cody Wilson pulled over Andrew Lee Bell, 40, of Cape Girardeau at State Highway 25 and County Road 672 for operating a vehicle without a functioning license plate light.

After Wilson had identified Bell, it was discovered that Bell had "multiple warrants through Scott County and Dunklin County, one of which was a felony warrant for passing bad check and the other two misdemeanors for failure to appear."

According to the affidavit, Wilson approached the vehicle and asked Bell to step out of the vehicle due to the number of warrants. Bell reportedly asked what the warrants were for and, after being told, was again asked to exit the vehicle. According to the report, Bell then put the vehicle into drive and "sped off, throwing gravel as he took off."

Wilson then contacted dispatch and advised of the situation and Missouri State Highway Patrolman Matt Foster advised he would set up spike strips at State Highway 25 and State Highway AF.

While leading Wilson on a chase, Bell reached speeds over 98 MPH and, according to the report, swerved into oncoming traffic lanes while passing vehicles.

Wilson reported reducing the speed of his pursuit in an effort to get Bell to slow down. After that tactic failed to work, Trooper Foster deployed spike strips south of Highway 25 and Highway AF. The strip successfully deflated Bell's front left tire, but Bell continued to give chase north on Highway 25 and still passed cars in oncoming lanes of traffic and forced vehicles to the shoulder of the road.

According to the report, Bell then turned west on Stoddard Street in Dexter, and the deflated tire came off completely which caused the car to ride on the rim of the vehicle, which damaged the roadway and started throwing sparks. Bell reportedly gave chase on Stoddard Street to Market Street. While giving chase on Market Street, Bell reportedly almost struck a parked vehicle and ran a stop sign and then continued north on Highway 25 until his vehicle started to catch fire.

Bell then reportedly exited the vehicle and started running west on foot. As Bell was approached by officers, he stopped and got down on the ground; but, according to the report, would not give officers his hands and kept them under his body where they were not visible. Bell was then reportedly tasered by a Dexter Police Officer and then gave up his hands and was taken into custody.

According to the report, Bell's wife Tawanda Bell was a passenger in the vehicle.

According to Stoddard County Sheriff Carl Hefner, there were no injuries resulting from the incident at all.

Bell was formally charged with a warrant for felony resisting arrest and bond was set at $20,000 cash. He remains in jail at this time.