On 12/7/18, law enforcement in Bates County received information in reference to a stolen dually pickup truck out of Nevada area. The vehicle description was broadcasted to each agency. An alert Sergeant with the Adrian Police Department observed a vehicle matching that description sitting in a subdivision entryway.
He then turned around on the vehicle believing it to be the same vehicle that was stolen from Nevada. As he turned around the truck took off away from the Sergeant. The Sergeant then gave chase with the stolen vehicle. The vehicle fled west of Adrian to the area of 8001 and 10002 before leaving the roadway and driving across the field. Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office, Troopers from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and an Officer with the Drexel Police Department began to flood the area. The stolen truck stopped along a tree line and creek in the area and the suspect exited the vehicle and ran off into a heavy wooded area.
The Bates County Sheriff’s Office and Highway Patrol had extra units in Clinton Missouri assisting in an operation they had going in Clinton and Henry County. One of the units the Highway Patrol had that responded to our area was a helicopter. Once a perimeter was established a team with K9 began a ground search. Communication was establish with the Highway Patrol helicopter when they arrived on scene where they then directed the ground search team to a heat signature east of the vehicle. The air support gave the officers exact directions leading them to the suspect who was hiding in the tall grass and leafs.
The suspect identified as Paul Ryerson 4/4/90 from Amsterdam was taken into custody without incident. The suspect has been the target of a several week investigation by the Bates County Sheriffs Office in regards to multiple stolen vehicles in Bates County and Cass County. The subject was wanted on a Failure to Register as a Sex Offender out of Clay County on $20,000 cash only bond. Ryerson had been recently released from prison.
After Ryerson was taken into custody, members of the Sheriffs Office responded to a residence north of Virginia and gained consent to search the residence that we had tracked him to. The female associate of Ryerson was taken into custody on outstanding warrants at the residence. She was identified as Lindsey Moles 2/27/86 and wanted for possession of a control substance out of Platte County, possession of a controlled substance and failure to appear out of Bates County with total bonds of $1000.00. A search of the property produced another stolen vehicle on the property. That vehicle was recovered by deputies.
“This is a fine example of the work that law enforcement agencies can achieve when working together. Working as a team we can provide the law enforcement services that the citizens of Bates County expects and deserves” says Sheriff Anderson. “We may not have been able to take this subject off the streets had it not been for the fast response of all agencies and the addition of the helicopter crew. We greatly appreciate those relationships we have with other agencies”
Ryerson is facing additional charges as the Detectives are still combing through the theft reports to connect him to additional crimes including multiple stolen vehicles.
***Images from the helicopter are going to be released by MSHP on their Twitter account***
