Officers pursue suspect

NEW MADRID, Mo. - On the afternoon of March 17, officers received information about possible drug activity on Main Street.

Officers found the vehicle the caller described and recognized the driver, who they knew to have a revoked driver’s license. An officer tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the car fled and a pursuit began going east out of town. The driver turned and went north on Route U toward Laforge, but one mile north of New Madrid he lost control of the vehicle and ran into a ditch.

The man was taken into custody and a little over six grams of crack cocaine was seized. The man was transported to the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department and later charged with possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest.

On the night of March 17, the fire department was requested by Portageville Fire for mutual aid to a large house fire on Highway 61 north of Portageville. New Madrid Rescue Unit 1 responded with four personnel and was on the scene for about two hours.

Departments on the scene were Portageville, Marston, Gideon, New Madrid, Hayti, and Caruthersville. With fire department participation at an all-time low, it is more important than ever that departments give aid whenever necessary.