A 41-year old man was arrested in Clinton, MO Thursday morning after fleeing from authorities and reportedly invading a home.

A search for suspects believed to be involved in thefts from vehicles at numerous locations in Clinton sparked a search that culminated in a foot chase and home invasion just before 10:00 Thursday morning.

It was reported to Clinton Police that one of the suspects, 41-year old James Corey Schmutz, of Osceola, was spotted in a trailer park in the 600 block of North Washington Street.

Clinton Police say Schmutz was approached by one of his victims and Schmutz reportedly opened his jacked to show a handgun tucked into his waistband. Officers responded to the area but did not locate Schmutz.

A short time later Schmutz was located in the 500 block of Meadowlark. He reportedly fled from officers and they were unable to locate him.

Central Dispatch then received a call from a woman who said a man had barged into her home and was refusing to leave. She said that neither she nor her husband knew the man and he was still there.

Officers from the Clinton Police Department, the Henry County Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to the home in the 500 block of Meadowlark. The homeowners were asked to step outside and when they did, they told officers the man was in their garage.

Officers entered the home and reportedly found Schmutz in the garage. He was taken into custody without incident but did not have a handgun on his person. However, authorities say a handgun was later recovered in the back yard of the home when it was found by a neighbor who was walking in the area.

Schmutz was arrested for an active felony probation violation warrant and a number of other offences including, 1st degree burglary of the home, stealing, felon in possession of a firearm, fraudulent use of a credit device, and felony resisting arrest.

Schmutz was taken to the Henry County Jail but was later hospitalized after he reportedly told officers that he had taken a large quantity of narcotic pills. No other details were available in the report.

Clinton MO Police Department
Clinton MO Police Department
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