Joshua Matthew Drennen, 34, of De Soto has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for fleeing from a Stone County Sheriff’s Office deputy, throwing a knife at the deputy and ramming the deputy’s vehicle, court documents said.
Drennen pleaded guilty to second-degree assault, resisting arrest and first-degree property damage, all felonies, and on Oct. 1, 2018, Stone County Div. 39 Circuit Judge Jack A.L. Goodman sentenced him to 15 years in prison for the assault charge, seven years for resisting arrest and seven years for property damage. However, the three sentences will be served concurrently, or at the same time, court records show.
In addition, on Nov, 8, Jefferson County Div. 2 Circuit Judge Darrell E. Missey executed a seven-year prison term Drennen previously was sentenced to, and that sentence also will also be served concurrently with the others, court papers show.
Drennen could be released early if he successfully completes a 24-month treatment program, according to court documents.
On March 11, 2018, a Stone County deputy was checking on a vehicle parked at the intersection of Shoals Lane and Hwy. 413, and Drennen, who was in the driver’s seat, sped away on Hwy. 413. The deputy pursued Drennen, who traveled at speeds between 55 mph and 75 mph and also slammed on his brakes at one point in an attempt to make the deputy hit him, the probable-cause statement said.
The pursuit continued to an intersection at Yocum Pond and Hwy. 413, and Drennen circled his vehicle back toward the deputy’s car and attempted to strike the police car three times before returning to Hwy. 413 and speeding away. Drennen eventually turned onto Rock Church Road, a narrow road with several sharp turns, traveling at speeds between 60 and 70 mph, the report said.
He then turned onto Hwy. HH, and at times, drove in the oncoming traffic lane, before getting onto Tilden Road. While on Tilden Road, Drennen threw a large knife and other objects at the patrol car before reaching a dead end. The deputy attempted to pin Drennen in at the dead end, and Drennen put his car in reverse and hit the patrol car twice, according to the report.
The deputy was able to get out of his car and ordered Drennen to shut off his engine, but Drennen spun his car around the patrol car and traveled back out Tilden Road to Hwy. HH.
Another Stone County deputy put spike strips on Hwy. HH, which Drennen drove over. However, he continued to drive off and turned onto West Hwy. 76 as his tires began to deteriorate, the report said.
Drennen continued to throw objects at the patrol cars pursuing him. He also nearly hit two vehicles head-on while being pursued, the report said.
On Hwy. 173, a pursuing deputy rammed a patrol car into Drennen’s vehicle, forcing him off the road, where the car ran into a tree. However, Drennen got out of his car and ran away, the report said.
Three deputies were able to catch up with Drennen and arrested him. Drennen told authorities he ran because he was an “idiot” and that we had gotten “scared” and “freaked” when the patrol car approached him, according to the report.
Drennen already was wanted on a warrant for domestic charges. An ex parte also was filed against him, and the woman who had filed that ex parte was in the car with him during the police pursuit, according to the report.
In May 2015, Drennen was found with methamphetamine in De Soto, after police were called to Main and Miller streets because of a disturbance. Drennen was at the scene and was found with drug paraphernalia and a liquid substance that tested positive for meth, the report said.
He pleaded guilty to the drug possession charge and was sentenced in January 2018 to seven years in prison. However, the sentence was suspended and he was placed on five years’ probation. Since he violated the probation, though, Missey executed the prison term.
Drennen currently is in the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre.