A St. Joseph man increased his legal trouble when he damaged a Missouri State Highway Patrol vehicle while being detained on suspicion of careless and imprudent driving.
Platte County prosecutor Eric Zahnd charged Vincent Deangelis last week with felony property damage and a misdemeanor for driving while intoxicated, stemming from an incident on the night of Friday, Nov. 28.
According to a MSHP probable cause statement, authorities received reports around 11:15 p.m. of a reckless driver in the southbound lanes of Interstate 29. A trooper located a red Toyota pickup truck off of the rightside of the roadway around mile marker 26.2, near the rest area between Camden Point and Dearborn.
The driver was identified as Deangelis, who turns 25 later this week.
The trooper noted several tire marks in the southbound lanes where it appeared the vehicle had been intentionally driven in circles. He placed Deangelis under arrest for failing to drive within a single lane and put the suspect into the front seat of his patrol car.
While standing outside of the car, the trooper heard Deangelis striking the windshield and passenger window of the vehicle. He was advised to stop.
After hearing the windows struck again, the trooper noticed that both the windshield and window were broken. He was transported to Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph for further evaluation.
While en route and at the hospital, he made incoherent statements about time, working for the government, his destination and religion. He also indicated that he used controlled substances and intentionally drove his vehicle in an erratic manner because it was fun, according to the probable cause statement.
Four witnesses were contacted at the scene who observed Deangelis driving erratically by backing up the interstate in the wrong direction.
Deangelis remains in custody at the Platte County Detention Center. He was scheduled to appear via video for an arraignment at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 1, but according to jail personnel, Deangelis was disruptive and unable to participate in the proceedings.
The arraignment was rescheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 2, but online records of the proceedings had not been updated as of that afternoon.
Deangelis faces up to five years in prison.