A Palmyra man was ordered to serve 120 days in the Cole County Jail after pleading guilty to multiple charges related to fleeing from authorities in Cole County in September 2019.
Ricky Morgan, 43, pleaded guilty during a hearing before Cole County Judge Jon Beetem to misdemeanor charges of resisting a lawful stop, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and exceeding the speed limit.
The resisting a lawful stop charge had been a felony, but prosecutors amended it to a misdemeanor.
Morgan was given credit for time served and ordered to pay $200 in fines.
Morgan was seen by the pilot of a Missouri Highway Patrol aircraft who reportedly checked him going 86 mph on U.S. 54 east of Route D, according to a Highway Patrol probable cause statement. Morgan also reportedly cut in on numerous other motorcycles.
A trooper on the ground tried to stop Morgan, but he sped away. After some time, the trooper ended his pursuit, but the aircraft trooper continued to follow him.
The aircraft trooper reported seeing Morgan go through residential areas at high speeds. Meanwhile, the ground trooper went back through the area Morgan had traveled earlier on Tanner Bridge Road and found a pair of shorts. A witness told the trooper the shorts had come off Morgan's motorcycle as it sped off. Inside the shorts, the trooper found hypodermic syringes, a glass pipe and methamphetamine.
Morgan eventually was located at a driveway on Bennett Lane and taken into custody.
Morgan was found to be in possession of nearly $2,900.
When questioned, Morgan said he had fled to avoid a citation but denied any knowledge of the shorts or what was found inside them.