Sikeston man arrested after drive-by shooting in Poplar Bluff

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. - Two local men escaped serious injury Tuesday night when their vehicle was shot during an apparent drive-by shooting following some type of earlier altercation with a Sikeston, Mo., man.

At about 9:35 p.m., Poplar Bluff police officers were sent to the area of 11th and Mary streets, where Cpl. Dusty Johnson found an unoccupied passenger car, with a broken window, in the 1100 block of North 11th Street.

In his report, Johnson said, he contacted Lionel Matthews, who reported he had been a passenger in the car, and they had been shot at.

"Matthews advised he was not hit; however, he had glass on his face and in his eyes," Johnson said.

Matthews, he said, reported his friend, Antwoine Johnson, had run down Mary Street. Antwoine Johnson subsequently was contacted.

As police officers were talking with Antwoine Johnson, Matthews was taken by ambulance to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center for evaluation.

"Johnson stated he and Matthews were at Huck's when he observed Jaquest Vance (Dearius Vance),"

Cpl. Johnson said. "(He) stated Vance had been causing issues with his (Antwoine Johnson's) cousin, so he told Vance to leave his cousin alone."

Antwoine Johnson told the officer he and Matthews left Huck's and went behind Marshalls and to other businesses, so Vance would not know their route back to his house in the 1100 block of North 11th Street.

"As (Antwoine Johnson) was backing into his driveway, he heard shots," Cpl. Johnson said. "(He) stated he began backing up, ran over a bush and stopped in neighbor's yard.

"(He) then stated he began running down the road ..."

Antwoine Johnson reportedly provided officers with a vehicle description of a Dodge Charger and identified two of car's three occupants, including Vance.

Cpl. Johnson said Matthews was contacted at the emergency room. Matthews, who indicated he had been a passenger during the entire incident, reported they had been at Huck's when he saw a Dodge Charger.

"Matthews advised Johnson went around the building, so the Charger would not follow them," Cpl. Johnson said. "(He) stated upon arrival to Johnson's house, he observed the Charger on Harper Street and advised it slowed down at the time that someone began shooting at them."

Both Antwoine Johnson and Matthews reported the shots came from inside the Dodge Charger, but they did not see who fired them.

A resident in the 1200 block of Mary Street, Cpl. Johnson said, reported hearing two shots, followed by three to four more, before opening his front door to Antwoine Johnson.

Having been given the names of Vance and one of his passengers, officers were able to find vehicle registration records for a Dodge in Vance's name, Cpl. Johnson said.

As city officers were investigating the shooting, Cpl. Johnson said, the Butler County Sheriff's Department received a call from a man who reported he allegedly had been threatened by Vance.

"Vance was sending text messages, advising he was going to kill (the man's) mother" and other family members if the man "did not pay the money he owed," Cpl. Johnson said. Police Lt. Josh Stewart believes the man was Antwoine Johnson's cousin.

Just before 4 a.m. Wednesday, Sikeston Department of Public Safety officers located and arrested Vance, 21, on suspicion of first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.

Vance subsequently was transported to Poplar Bluff, where he was booked at the Butler County jail.

Sikeston officers, Cpl. Johnson said, also turned over a pistol.

Local officers, according to Stewart, were applying for a warrant today to search Vance's car to "see if more evidence is present."

Stewart said officers also canvassed the area this morning, and two shell casings were located.

In addition, Stewart said, officers were going to check to see if an "actual altercation" occurred at Huck's to determine if "words were exchanged" or a fight occurred between Antwoine Johnson and Vance.

Stewart described Matthews as being lucky.

"The round that struck the window was right where his head would be," Stewart said. "Both were leaning back in the seat. "If they had been sitting normal, it would be a different situation."

As the investigation continues, Stewart said, detectives intend to try to interview Vance today.

"I certainly want to commend the victims for coming forward and identifying the suspects," Poplar Bluff police chief Danny Whiteley said. "A lot of times, we have victims that will not come forward when we know they have information.

"We can only do our job from an investigatory status for forensics and so forth" without the victim's cooperation. Whiteley encouraged anyone who is a victim to "step forward and identify the (suspects), and we will do our best to put them in prison.

"We are not going to tolerate having a bunch of idiots running around town shooting guns at other people."