One arrested after pursuit and home invasion in Clinton

A spree of thefts from vehicles at numerous locations in Clinton sparked a search for the suspects that culminated in a foot chase and home invasion this morning at approximately 9:48 A.M. It was reported to Clinton Police that one of the suspects, 41 year old James Corey Schmutz of Osceola, was spotted in a trailer park in the 600 block of North Washington Street. It was there that he was approached by one of his victims and he opened his jacked to show that he had a handgun tucked into his waistband. Officers responded to the area but did not locate Schmutz. 

A short time later Schmutz was located in the 500 block of Meadowlark. He fled on foot from officers and they were unable to locate him. Central Dispatch then received a call from a lady who said that a man had barged into her home and was refusing to leave. 

She said that neither she nor her husband knew the man and he was still there. Officers from the Clinton Police Department, the Henry County Sheriff’s Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to the lady’s home in the 500 block of Meadowlark. 

Both the lady and her husband, an elderly couple, were asked to step outside and when they did, they told officers the man was in their garage. Officers entered the home and found Schmutz in the garage. He was taken into custody without incident but did not have a handgun on his person, however, a handgun was later recovered in the back yard of the home when it was found by a neighbor who was walking in the area. 

Schmutz was arrested for an active felony probation violation warrant and 24 hour investigation of the following: 1st degree burglary of the home, stealing, felon in possession of a firearm, fraudulent use of a credit device, and felony resisting arrest. 

Schmutz was transported to the Henry County Jail but was later hospitalized after he informed officers that he had taken a large quantity of narcotic pills.

Fishing Dock Superbowl Party

Pool Tournament at Archie Fishing Dock

From Cass County Sheriff Jeff Weber

Updated Obituary - Barbara Mallatt

Funeral services for Barbara Mallatt, will be 10 a.m. Saturday, February 3, 2018 at the Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel in Butler, Missouri with Pastor John Prichard officiating. Burial in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Galena, Kansas. There is no visitation. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions to The Kalee Squad Foundation or Giving Fore Living. Online condolences www.schowengerdtchapel.com.

Barbara Jean Mallatt, age 62 of Butler, Missouri was born November 20, 1955 to Burl F. Jr. and Mary Frances Dotson Armstrong in Kansas City, Missouri. She died Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

Barbara is survived by her husband of 43 years, Bob Mallatt of Butler, Missouri; one son, Richie Mallatt and wife Alexandria of Harrisonville, Missouri; one daughter, Sandy Cook and husband Sean of Butler, Missouri; her mother, Mary Dotson of Webb City, Missouri; two brothers, Pat Armstrong of Webb City, Missouri and Richard Armstrong and wife Fran of Gladstone, Missouri; one sister, Virginia Armstrong of Joplin, Missouri; and five grandchildren, Andon, Kadyn, Dawson, Kourtnee and Richie Jr. She was preceded in death by her father, an infant son, Robert Mallatt; two brothers, Billy and Mike Armstrong; and one sister, Mary Lee Stewart.

Obituary - Roy W. Harvey

Roy W. Harvey, 78, Garden City, MO, died Sunday, January 28, 2018 at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, MO. Services to be held at a later date.

Roy was born November 19, 1939 in Harrisonville, MO, the son of Roy Glenn and Lucille (Brown) Harvey. He was a 1957 graduate of Harrisonville High School and was a lifelong Cass County, MO resident. He had lived in Garden City for the past 26 years. Roy married Shirley Marie Pfeifer on June 7, 1980 in Harrisonville.

Roy worked for TWA before working for Harvey’s Implement of Harrisonville in sales. He was an avid gardener. Roy was a member of the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Harrisonville.

Roy is survived by his wife, Shirley, of the home; two sons, Greg Harvey, Columbia, MO and Randy Jones, Overland Park, KS; two daughters, Elyssa Hebl, Harrisonville, MO and Shelley Jones, Garden City, MO; one sister, Cynthia Bruneaux, Rhode Island; 9 grandchildren, Jennifer Jones, Dustin Cowan, Elizabeth Cowan, Samara Harvey, Leah Harvey, Alex Harvey, Lily Harvey, Emily Jones, and Kristen Jones, and 1 great-granddaughter, Madison Jones.

Countywide Flood Workshop in Cass County

Countywide Flood Workshop — The City of Harrisonville will host a free workshop for all county residents, Thursday, Feb. 15, 7-9 p.m. at the Community Center, 2400 Jefferson Parkway. Karen McHugh, SEMA Floodplain Management Section Manager, Ally Bishop, National Flood Insurance Program Coordinator, and Brian Rast, P.E. CFM, Lead Silver Jackets Coordinator for Kansas and Missouri with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be there to discuss flooding issues and answer questions. The public is invited to attend.

Obituary - JoAnn Hudgens

JoAnn Hudgens, age 71 of Clinton passed away January 30, 2018 peacefully at her home with her brother, Phillip Stephens, sister Kay Stephens and nephew John Stephens. 

JoAnn was a very God loving and caring Mother, Grandmother, Sister, and Great-Grandmother. 

JoAnn was raised in Clinton, Mo as a child where she attended a Pentecostal Church. In her later teenage years she met and married Paul Glennwood Roderick, she was expecting her first born Mark Cokeley. She also raised 4 sons as her own. Later in her marriage they were blessed with their first born daughter, Julie Ann Roderick born on April 2, 1975, then 5 years later had her 3rd child on November 13, 1980, Shawn Paul Roderick. They lived happily in the town of Deepwater for many of their 30 years of marriage.

JoAnn remarried her high school sweetheart, John Hudgens in Clinton, Mo in the early 1990's, and lived in Bucksaw, Mo until her beloved husband passed away from cancer. JoAnn spent the remainder of her life devoted to her faith, family and friends.

JoAnn was preceded in death by her husband John Hudgens, her tow sister Patricia Page and Debrah Kuehn and one brother and one step son Ronnie Roderick.

She is survived by 15 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren 2 great-great grandchildren
Visitation will be at Vansant-Mills Funeral Home, Clinton on Thursday February 1, 2018 from 6-8PM and the funeral service will be at 1PM on Friday, February 2, 2018 also at the funeral home. Internment will follow at Norris Cemetery, Hartwell, Missouri. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society and may be left in care of the funeral home.

Fond memories and condolences may be left online at www.vansant-millsfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Vansant-Mills Funeral Home of Clinton.