County Man Charged With Fifth DWI

A Crawford County man with a history of drunk driving arrests is facing new felony charges after authorities say he was intoxicated behind the wheel with his 11-year-old son in the car.

Roger M. Pinnell, 57, has been charged with driving while intoxicated (chronic offender), as well as additional charges for failure to wear a seatbelt and failure to drive on the right half of the roadway.

The incident occurred around 2:37 p.m. on May 11, when law enforcement was dispatched to a report of a vehicle in a ditch on Jakes Prairie Road near Evans Road. Callers stated a man appeared intoxicated inside the vehicle, and a child was also present.

When the responding deputy arrived, he found a car off the side of the road and a man—later identified as Pinnell—seated in the driver’s seat. A juvenile male, who had apparently just gotten off a four-wheeler, was standing nearby.

The deputy noted Pinnell had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and a strong smell of alcohol. Pinnell attempted several times to restart the car while speaking with emergency personnel, prompting the officer to remove the keys from the ignition. When asked to identify himself, Pinnell initially only gave his first name and refused to cooperate with medics. He also declined to let them take his vital signs or check his blood sugar.

Eventually, with assistance from family members at the scene, Pinnell was identified. Deputies had to help him walk due to his unsteadiness. A preliminary investigation revealed Pinnell’s driver’s license was revoked due to a prior chemical revocation. Further records check confirmed four previous DWI convictions.

Inside the car, deputies found a cooler filled with unopened cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer on ice, as well as another unopened can in a cup holder between the seats. No open containers were visible.

When asked to perform a field sobriety test, Pinnell attempted to begin but quickly gave up. He was arrested at 3:12 p.m., read his Miranda rights, and transported by patrol vehicle. His 11-year-old son was released to the care of guardians at the scene after refusing medical treatment.

Pinnell later refused a breath test, prompting authorities to obtain a search warrant for a blood sample. The sample was collected by a registered nurse at Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan and sent to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Laboratory for analysis.

The Crawford County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed charges the following day. Pinnell remains in custody.

This is at least the fifth DWI offense for Pinnell, raising the case to felony status under Missouri law.