A Noel man is in custody after allegedly crashing a vehicle and killing his passenger following an attempted stop by Joplin police early Sunday morning.
Joplin police say they attempted to stop a GMC Yukon at the intersection of Fourth and Main streets at about 1:01 a.m. Sunday after the vehicle failed to stop for a flashing red signal. The driver allegedly failed to yield to police and traveled around several blocks in the downtown area before heading east on Fifth Street.
The driver then lost control of the Yukon near the railroad tracks at Fifth and Murphy Boulevard, going airborne as it crossed the tracks before crashing into a ditch. The vehicle caught fire, which was then put out by officers.
The front-seat passenger, Anita L. Lizotte, 46, of Joplin, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The driver was transported to St. John’s Regional Medical Center for treatment and is currently in custody at the Jasper County Jail, awaiting charges.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol has been enlisted to help with the crash reconstruction.
