Charge filed after driver damages road sign then leaves the scene

NEW MADRID, Mo. — On the afternoon of March 5, an officer responded to New Madrid Elementary in reference to a damaged road sign. It appeared that during a little league basketball game the night before, someone had run over a stop sign then left the scene.

The school resource officer found surveillance footage of the incident, showing a pickup run over the stop sign. The driver then gets out, looks at his truck then leaves the scene. The man was identified from the surveillance footage and later cited for the misdemeanor of leaving the scene of an accident.

Over the last few weeks, we have handled several calls related to trespassing at local businesses. These calls are almost always on people that have been previously barred from the business for stealing or disorderly conduct.

In Missouri, second degree trespassing only requires that a person enter unlawfully onto the property of another. Second degree trespassing is only an infraction, meaning that it is not an arrestable offense.

First degree trespassing requires that a person knowingly enters unlawfully onto the property of another. The “knowingly” portion of the statute is usually satisfied in one of two ways: by the presence of a “No Trespassing” sign or by being previously told not to be on the property.

The police department keeps a current list of people that have been barred from particular businesses in town, and officers double check the list before issuing citations or making arrests.