Matthew Scott Braden

Lakota Rein Tripp

     Two people from Wichita, Kansas were arrested this morning following a vehicle pursuit on State Highway 178 West that originated near Lakeview.

     At 7:19AM this morning, the Sheriff’s Office received a report from a woman at the Bull Shoals-White River roadside park stating that two men in a black Chevrolet Tahoe entered into her vehicle and stole her wallet, then proceeded East bound on State Highway 178.

     Sheriff’s Corporal Michael Holland met the suspect vehicle at 7:38 AM on State Highway 178, turned around on it, and attempted to initiate a traffic stop based on the complaint.  The suspects refused to stop and accelerated, passing several vehicles in double yellow no passing zones.  Corporal Holland began pursuing the vehicle at high speed.  When the suspects approached the intersection of State Highway 5 in Midway, the driver veered into the gravel parking lot of The Eagles Club.  The driver lost control of the vehicle and it overturned, coming to rest on its wheels.  The driver then continued to try to flee, with the engine revving and tires spinning.  Both the driver and the passenger were taken into custody at 7:42 AM.  The driver was identified as 20 year old MATTHEW SCOTT BRADEN.  The passenger was identified as 22 year old LAKOTA REIN TRIPP. 

     The stolen wallet was not found in the vehicle.  The wallet had contained credit cards, a driver license, and other identification cards.  The suspects stated they threw the wallet out of the vehicle while driving after finding it held no cash.  Drug paraphernalia was found in the vehicle. 

     The suspects told investigators that they had stolen a relative’s truck in Kansas.  They drove it to Oklahoma and ran out of gasoline there.  The suspects then took the Chevrolet Tahoe SUV on a test drive from a dealership in Oklahoma and did not return it.  The vehicle was reported stolen from Ponca, Oklahoma and had been entered into NCIC as such. 

     Both suspects were subsequently transported to the Baxter County Detention Center and both booked on charges of:

Breaking or Entering – Felony
Tampering with Evidence – Felony
Theft of Credit Card (3 counts) – Felonies
Fleeing in Vehicle – Felony
Theft by Receiving - Felony
Theft of Property – Misdemeanor
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Misdemeanor
Careless and Prohibited Driving – Misdemeanor
No Liability Insurance – Misdemeanor

     BRADEN and TRIPP are both being held in lieu of $25,000 each on these charges and will appear before the Circuit Court to answer later this month.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff