Three people were taken into custody following a Sunday pursuit in Moniteau County.
A deputy on routine patrol attempted to stop a vehicle for an equipment violation Sunday on U.S. 50 near California, according to Moniteau County Sheriff's Department reports. As the deputy activated his emergency lights, the car sped away and the pursuit began.
The vehicle went west on U.S. 50 then turned south on Route E, where it finally stopped in the middle of the road near Latham. The three people inside were ordered out of the vehicle and taken into custody.
They were identified as Matthew Bishop, 34, of California; Natasha Larsen, 32, of Tipton; and Greg Wininger, 34, of Joplin.
Deputies reportedly located drug paraphernalia and a "substantial" amount of methamphetamine. They also found a backpack-style leaf blower that had been stolen from a residence in California.
The three suspects had attempted to ingest methamphetamine during the pursuit in an attempt to destroy the evidence. One suspect was transported to an area hospital and treated for a drug overdose, with the other two taken to the Moniteau County Jail.
Bishop was taken into custody for delivery of a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence, while Larsen and Wininger were each taken in for possession of a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence. Wininger also had a warrant for his arrest from Jasper County for possession of a controlled substance.