Drunk driver tries to evade police and crashes into a tree in Joplin

Several witnesses called the Joplin Police Department around 1030 yesterday morning with reports of a pick-up truck driving erratically. The black Ford Ranger was going east on 32nd street, swerving dangerously. More witnesses say the same truck hit the Higdon’s Florist van while it was parked near Main and 32nd Street.

When police tried to stop the truck it sped away. The chase then continued down Kentucky near 39th but didn’t get far. Going fast the driver must not have known it was a dead end and stopped when they hit a tree.

The driver tried to then escape on foot. But when his truck rolled backwards, his arm became pinned pinned between the tree and his truck.

Joplin Police and Fire had to cut the man loose. Marty W. Rickey (44 of Joplin) was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.