Warrant issued for Cassville man nearly 2 months after incident

By Kyle Troutman ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com

A Cassville man is facing a felony charge relating to an alleged fleeing incident in the city in July.

Jesse Torbett, born 1980, of Cassville, is charged with felony fleeing.

According to a probable cause statement filed by Officer Codie Evatt, with the Cassville Police Department, on July 27 at about 3:19 p.m., Evatt initiated a traffic stop on a Nissan sedan for allegedly traveling 32 miles per hour in a 20-mile-per-hour zone.

The vehicle allegedly failed to yield to emergency equipment, Evatt said, and fled at high rates of speed, continuing at a high rate of speed through a residential area.

The vehicle then pulled into a residence, and a male was allegedly seen exiting the vehicle and fleeing into the home. Contact was made with a female who lived at the residence and identified Torbett, who allegedly fled out the back door of the residence and was not apprehended at the time.

On July 28, Torbett and another individual were arrested following a second fleeing incident ending at the same residence on Oakhill Drive in Cassville.

Cassville Police Chief Donnie Privett said in that incident, the vehicle allegedly fled police from County Farm Road to the residence, where the driver and a juvenile exited the vehicle.

When police requested entry, another adult female allegedly locked the door and barricaded the individuals inside.

Privett said officers forced entry and arrested the male and female adults. The juvenile, he said, was placed into custody of the Department of Family Services and transported to a family member. The suspects did not have any weapons, and no one was injured.

A Cassville Police Department patrol vehicle did sustain damage to a front tire and wheel during the pursuit.

Privett said at that time the Cassville Police Department intended to file for felony charges against the adult male for both pursuits, as well as endangering the welfare of a child since the juvenile was in the vehicle during the second pursuit.

The probable cause statement submitted for the alleged fleeing on July 27 is marked as received by the Prosecuting Attorney Amy Boxx’s office on Aug. 27. The charge was officially filed on Sept. 15.

Privett said the probable cause statement for the second alleged fleeing incident on July 28 has been submitted. No charge has been filed as of Thursday.