Pair from Columbia charged, suspected of fighting state trooper
BUNCETON, Mo. (KMIZ)
A man and woman from Columbia are charged with assaulting a state trooper and allegedly trying to escape custody on Thursday.
Ronnie Ewens, 62, and Maria Scott, 61, face multiple felony charges after being arrested near the Hannah Cole Roadside Park in Cooper County.
A state trooper approached Ewens' truck after a check showed he had multiple arrest warrants. Court documents say Ewens stumbled out of the truck while he and his passenger, Scott, was moving over to the driver's seat. The trooper said there was an open case of beer in the cab and that Ewens smelled of alcohol.
Ewens was taken into the trooper's patrol vehicle for questioning before he ran out of the car onto the roadway. His probable cause statement shows the trooper chased after Ewens into the middle of Highway 5, where they both fought on the ground. Documents say Scott drove the truck over to the scene, but it stalled out when the pair tried to get away.
A Cooper County sheriff's deputy responded to the scene after the trooper called for emergency backup. The deputy said he sent his K9 to bite Ewens, but he allegedly kicked the dog away.
Documents say Ewens was arrested after the deputy fired his stun gun successfully twice. The trooper reported fighting Ewens for about 11 minutes before the deputy arrived on scene. Ewens and the trooper were treated at Pinnacle Regional Hospital.
Ewens and Scott are being held in the Cooper County Jail. Ewens' total bond was set at $185,000, Scott's bond was set at $25,000. Online court records show both face charges of assault and resisting arrest.
