A Belton man was arrested by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Apprehension Unit late Wednesday afternoon in a stolen 2019 Kia Forte in the area of 163rd and Spring Valley Road in Belton following a short vehicle pursuit.
The man, Marcus A. Howard, 26, was then released on a signature bond by Associate Circuit Judge Mike Rumley after he was charged with felony tampering with a motor vehicle and felony resisting arrest creating a substantial risk of serious death or injury.
Cass County deputies responded to the area of East 155th Street north of Belton after receiving information that a Kansas City Police Department helicopter had followed a stolen vehicle to the area just north of Cass County. The suspect in the stolen vehicle had already fled from KCPD officers earlier in the day and was being pursued by Grandview Police when deputies arrived in the area.
Cass County deputies and Belton Police searched the area south of 155th Street near Spring Valley where they located the stolen vehicle. Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver sped away.
Cass County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Apprehension Unit Deputies were able to deploy a Grappler device and stop the vehicle and the driver was taken into custody without further incident, according to Sheriff Jeff Weber.
“This pursuit lasted just two minutes from the time deputies started chasing the suspect until they were able to deploy their Grappler device and bring the pursuit to a quick and safe conclusion. I will continue to provide our deputies with the proper resources, such as the Grappler, to apprehend these dangerous criminals and keep Cass County safe,” Weber said.
The driver, Marcus A. Howard, 26, Belton, was arrested and transported to the Cass County Jail, where he was ordered released by the judge.
Howard had been convicted of tampering with a stolen vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident, resisting/fleeing creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death and driving while suspended or revoked in 2015 in Jackson County and sentenced to three years in prison.
CAU captures sex crime suspect
Meanwhile, round 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, the Criminal Apprehension Unit was requested to help in the arrest of a wanted fugitive from Clay County.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office and CAU captured 27-year-old Branden L. Scales of Kansas City, who was wanted on statutory sodomy/attempt-deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 14 warrant.
An investigation led to a house in the 20000 block of South Mullen Road in Belton, where Scales was found hiding inside, according to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.
Clay County Sheriff’s deputies transported Scales to the Clay County Jail, where, according to the jail's website, he remained in custody on Thursday night.