Courtroom paperwork filed in Howell County give some perception into what suspect Jeremiah Partee was doing earlier than he reportedly got here into Ozark County Feb. 14 in a stolen truck, hooked onto a stolen trailer, tried to cross Lick Creek and bought caught after which fled from officers on foot earlier than allegedly stealing one other automobile. (See “Truck and trailer deserted in Lick Creek by suspect accused of a number of automobile thefts” in final week’s Occasions.)
The West Plains Every day Quill reported final week that Howell County Sheriff’s deputies had been dispatched to a house on JJ Freeway in Howell County at 9:47 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, after a resident mentioned a person was seen driving a truck away from the placement with out the permission of the proprietor. The proprietor reportedly grabbed a handgun in an unsuccessful try to cease the theft.
“The following morning, Feb. 14, the sheriff’s division bought a name {that a} man was in a scorching tub situated on a patio within the Arrowhead Lakes subdivision, and the owners didn’t know who the person was,” the Quill reported. “Deputies discovered Partee within the scorching tub, submerged in water, whereas the out of doors temperature, they famous, was round zero levels with wind chills under zero.”
Not but a suspect within the theft, Partee was taken into custody for his personal security and questioned a couple of pickup and trailer seen parked close to the new tub residence. He advised officers the truck was his and he wasn’t certain how the trailer, later decided to be stolen from West Plains-based Endurance Church, turned connected to the automobile, the Quill mentioned.
“Partee was given dry jail clothes on the Howell County Jail and brought to Ozarks Healthcare, the place he was to obtain therapy for frostbite however walked out earlier than therapy was rendered,” authorities mentioned.
Howell County Sheriff’s Deputy Lt. Torey Thompson “famous in a doc submitted to prosecutors that Partee appeared to be taking refuge within the scorching tub as a way to hold heat within the excessive chilly climate, and his actions appeared to be attributable to drug use, psychological well being points, or each,” in keeping with the Quill.
At 4:47 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 16, officers had been known as to an tried theft of a 2021 automobile hauler from South 63 Motors in West Plains; the hauler was discovered discarded at Broadway and Lincoln Avenue. An hour later, officers there responded to a theft of a automobile hauler trailer from Hirsch Feed, the Quill reported.
Later that morning, Partee reportedly drove a stolen truck and trailer into the East Wind Group off County Street 547 and bought the automobile caught making an attempt to cross Lick Creek.
After wading by way of the creek in single digit temperatures, Partee was noticed by Ozark County Deputy Justin Brown on a county street; a brief foot pursuit started, however Brown quickly misplaced the suspect within the woods.
A short while later, Partee confirmed up at a close-by residence, bleeding and injured, and requested for assist attending to his home, which he mentioned falsely was close by. The resident, Tecumseh resident Brian Corbin, agreed to assist, and the 2 males bought into Corbin’s automobile collectively. However when Corbin returned to his home to get a blanket for Partee, the suspect slid into the motive force’s seat and allegedly stole the automobile after which fled into Baxter County, Arkansas.
Officers noticed Partee within the stolen automobile in Mountain House, Arkansas, the subsequent afternoon. After a high-speed chase, Partee crashed the automobile and fled right into a motel, the place he unsuccessfully tried to cover in a room and was arrested.
Partee is charged with theft by receiving, fleeing, reckless driving, no legal responsibility insurance coverage, driving with a suspended license, leaving the scene of an accident with property harm and failing to obey visitors management indicators or gadgets.
In Ozark County, Partee faces felony prices of tampering with a motorcar, stealing $750 or extra and stealing a motorcar.
In Howell County, Partee faces three counts of stealing $750 or extra and two counts of stealing a motorcar.
He’s at the moment being held within the Baxter County Detention Middle, however warrants have additionally been issued for his arrest in Ozark and Howell counties.
