Joplin man charged in fleeing vehicle crash
Aug. 20—The Jasper County prosecutor's office has filed felony counts on a driver who fled Joplin police early Tuesday morning and crashed into a section of a strip mall on West Seventh Street.
Tyrell D. Harbin, 28, of Joplin, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, resisting arrest and driving under the influence of drugs after the crash into a strip mall in front of the Walmart store on West Seventh Street.
Harbin was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries before being taken to jail, according to police Capt. Will Davis.
Davis said the incident began when a patrol officer checked on a vehicle in the parking lot of the Taco Bell restaurant on West Seventh Street that he thought might have been involved in a shots-fired incident at 3:49 a.m. in the 1200 block of South Roosevelt Avenue and the driver took off.
The fleeing vehicle hit a tree and ran through a fence before crashing into the strip mall building, Davis said. He said methamphetamine and a gun reported stolen in Newton County were seized during the suspect's arrest.
