Versailles man charged with drunk driving, arson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Versailles man has been charged with three felonies after authorities say he drove a truck while he was drunk and set a trailer on fire.

Joey Crosswhite, 43, was charged in Morgan County with chronic driving while intoxicated, second-degree arson and driving while revoked. He is being held at the Morgan County Jail on a $75,000 bond.

The probable cause statement says deputies were called to a residence in Versailles on Monday evening and the caller claimed Crosswhite was drunk driving and harassing her at her residence. A deputy on the phone told the caller to tell Crosswhite to leave or he would be arrested, the statement says.

Deputies arrived and wrote in the statement that Crosswhite appeared to be drunk and would not give consistent answers as to how he arrived at the residence. Deputies then saw flames coming from another trailer on the property and a victim claimed to have seen Crosswhite exiting the trailer before law enforcement arrived, the statement says.

Deputies allegedly found a lighter in Crosswhite’s pocket. The victim claimed Crosswhite throughout to burn down her home before deputies arrived, the statement says.