A hunter in the area had called the local conservation agent about a group of people acting suspicious in the conservation area. This area is approximately 5 miles south of Mindenmines on SW 160th lane. When the agent arrived on the scene he contacted three subjects in the area. After a routine check of those individuals he concluded that contact.
The agent then drove further into the Conservation Area and located two other people that appeared to be hiding from the law enforcement agent. The conservation agent attempted to make contact with the two male subjects however one male subject fled into the woods. A second subject was taken into custody by the conservation agent. Numerous other law enforcement agencies responded to assist the conservation agent in trying to find the subject that fled.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol, Barton County Sheriff’s Office, and Lamar Police Department responded to the area. Lamar police officer Toby Luce responded with his K-9 Hondo and they attempted a track to locate the subject that fled on foot. After searching for the subject for approximately an hour and a half in very cold weather and difficult terrain the search for the subject concluded. During a search of the area a car was found conealed in a manner that it was drove up in a brushy area of shawnee trail and covered with brush. A camp site was also set up close to the vehicle.
The subject that was arrested was a Ronald Reninger, age 29, of Fort Scott. Reninger had an active warrant out of Vernon County for stealing and was transported to the county line and picked up by a Vernon County Deputy.
