Felony traffic stop ends with three arrests

By Anna Koeppel and Jacob Barker

Published Aug. 31, 2007

Officers made a felony traffic stop at 7:50 p.m. Wednesday at the Phillips 66 gas station at 126 S. Providence after officers reported a stolen vehicle, Columbia police Capt. Zim Schwartze said.

At the Hardee's restaurant next door, shift manager Dehon Duff said he counted 11 police vehicles that swooped in on the scene after the vehicle was forced to pull over into the Phillips 66 parking lot.

Officers surrounded the car, some with weapons drawn.

"Cops came from all directions," he said. "It seemed like they were looking for something."

Phillips 66 employees said it was against their policy to comment on any crimes or arrests that happened on the property.

Schwartze said the felony traffic stop is standard procedure for stolen vehicles.

Five individuals were in the car, so officers had weapons at ready for their safety, she said.

Schwartze said all five individuals were investigated, but only three arrests were made.

"When I was driving down Providence, I saw a big swarm of police cars and police officers with guns pointed toward the gas station," MU sophomore Tim Hoffman said. "Every second, more police were coming in."

One police car pulled in front of Hoffman and blocked his way, he said. Hoffman said that a police officer got out of the car that pulled in front of him and told him to turn around and leave. At this point, Hoffman left the scene.

Hoffman said police continued to arrive as he left.

"More were coming in from every direction," Hoffman said. "There were guns drawn, and I didn't know what was going on."