The Cole County Grand Jury recently handed down several indictments, finding there was enough evidence in the cases to send them to the circuit courts for possible trial.
• Among those indicted were a Holts Summit man and a Jefferson City woman charged in connection with a shots fired incident that occurred in June.
Joe Connors, 45, of Holts Summit, is charged with unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, tampering with evidence and possession of marijuana.
Jennifer Patterson, 30, of Jefferson City, is charged with possession of methamphetamine, driving while revoked, and careless and imprudent driving.
The shooting occurred in the 200 block of Hess Way near the intersection of Ashley and Washington streets, according to Jefferson City police.
Connors fired a gun from a vehicle driven by Patterson. He then threw the firearm out the window of the vehicle.
Patterson fled the area at a high speed until she was stopped at the intersection of Hickey and Adams streets.
She was found to have a revoked driving status and in possession of a plastic bag filled with meth, which she admitted to using the day prior to this incident. Patterson also told authorities she had twice absconded from probation and parole.
• Also indicted was a Jefferson City resident charged in connection with breaking into and taking items from several vehicles in June and July.
Eli Doyle, 17, is charged with five counts of stealing, two counts of fraudulent use of a credit device, misdemeanor second-degree tampering with a motor vehicle and misdemeanor second-degree property damage.
In an earlier court appearance, the other defendant in this case, Dylan Gibson, 18, pleaded not guilty to three counts of stealing and two counts of fraudulent use of a credit device.
The thefts occurred June 30 and July 1, according to Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statements. Areas hit included Hayselton and Arden drives. Officers noted while several cars were broken into, most of the victims did not want to press charges for the items taken.
In one case, the victim said her car was left unlocked and her purse was taken. The victim’s wallet was in the purse, which contained a debit card from Hawthorn Bank. Bank officials said several unauthorized charges had been made on the card, which the card-holder notified the bank had been stolen.
Officers went to the locations where the card had been used and developed suspects, thanks primarily to surveillance video, identifying Doyle and Gibson as the suspects.
On July 1, officers stopped a vehicle Doyle and Gibson were in. A search of the vehicle located several items that had been stolen.
When interviewed, Gibson confessed to entering vehicles and taking items. Doyle confessed to assisting Gibson by driving him to locations to break into vehicles.
• Also indicted was a Columbia woman charged in connection with a high-speed chase July 4 in Jefferson City.
Lauren McGovern, 26, is charged with resisting arrest and exceeding the speed limit.
Officers had allegedly identified McGovern as being involved in a theft from Best Buy on Missouri Boulevard, according to a Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statement.
Her vehicle was spotted going east in the 600 block of U.S. 54/63.
Officers tried to stop McGovern, but she refused to pull over and the pursuit reached speeds of more than 100 mph, with some of the pursuit going through a construction zone. She also passed vehicles on the shoulder of the highway to get around congested traffic, leading officers to terminate the pursuit.
• Also indicted was a Centertown man charged with second-degree burglary in April after he reportedly took a collection of Hot Wheels cars from a storage building in the 2800 block of Pea Ridge Road.
Prosecutors filed the Class D felony charge against Benjamin A. Crawford, 28.
A sheriff’s probable cause statement said the toy cars were reported missing from a storage shed April 27. Crawford was seen leaving the shed, and he didn’t have permission to be there.
The owner estimated the Hot Wheels — which still were in their original boxes — to be worth about $65 each.
A sheriff’s investigation showed Crawford had attempted to sell some of the toys at three Jefferson City pawn shops but denied that.
The probable cause statement said videos from the pawn shops showed Crawford with the Hot Wheels, and Crawford’s father said he never collected the toys.
Prosecutors charged Crawford as a prior and persistent offender. They listed five previous stealing or theft convictions between 2013-16 in Cole, Boone and Lincoln counties.