A traffic stop on Interstate 70 in Callaway County, Missouri, escalated into a deadly exchange of gunfire early this morning, leaving a Texas driver dead and two deputies injured, as confirmed by the sheriff's office. The incident began around 3:35 a.m. when a deputy pulled over the driver, who was later discovered to have outstanding felony warrants.
According to KSAT, the 37-year-old man from Texas was wanted for alleged drug trafficking and assaulting a law officer. The situation swiftly deteriorated when the deputies attempted to effect an arrest and the man began to actively resist. Not long after, they reported to dispatchers that shots had been to quickly fire.
Curtis Hall, the Callaway County chief deputy, told KSAT, "The driver shot the deputies, who returned fire and shot him." The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, while both deputies were hospitalized and reported to be in stable condition. The names of the individuals involved have not been released as of this report.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol's division of drug and crime control is now to thoroughly investigate the shooting. This was corroborated by an AOL article covering the incident. Details surrounding the traffic stop and the shootout are expected to emerge as the investigation proceeds.
