On April 23, 2021, 44-year-old Ronnie Summers, of Higginsville, was found guilty of Assault of a Law Enforcement Officer in the Second Degree, Resisting Arrest and Possession of a Controlled Substance following a bench trial litigated by Lafayette County Prosecuting Attorney, Kristen Ellis-Hilbrenner.

According to Ellis-Hilbrenner, the charges arose after a Higginsville Police officer made contact with the defendant around 9 p.m. on February 26, 2020. The officer responded to Cypress and 22nd Streets following a report of a suspicious person being in the area. When the officer arrived, he located Summers. After a brief conversation, the officer requested consent to search Summers, and he consented to that search.

The officer located methamphetamine on the defendant, and as the officer attempted to place him under arrest, Summers took off running. As a result of having hold of the defendant when he took off running, the officer fell and suffered serious physical injuries. He still pursued the defendant and was able to take him into custody with the assistance of another officer. When questioned, Summers admitted he was caught with the methamphetamine and was on parole so he ran. The entire incident was captured on the officer’s body camera.

At the sentencing hearing, Hilbrenner argued for a lengthy sentence in the Department of Corrections, noting the defendant’s dangerous behavior; the seriousness of the officer’s injuries; and the defendant’s extensive criminal history, which includes at least 10 prior felonies.

On May 17, Judge Dennis Rolf sentenced Summers as a Prior and Persistent felony offender to 10 years on the Assault of a Law Enforcement Officer charge, seven years concurrent on the Resisting Arrest charge and 10 years consecutive on the Possession of a Controlled Substance charge for a total of 20 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.