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West Plains man arrested after deputies close portions of First Street, Pennsylvania Avenue

BY LORI AMOS, LORIA@WPDAILYQUILL.NET

Posted

The Howell County Sheriff’s Office arrested a suspect wanted for violating parole following a S.W.A.T. team standoff Saturday night. 

Rain Collins, 23, of West Plains, was reportedly seen in a residence with multiple people Saturday night; the Howell County Sheriff’s Office S.W.A.T. team and West Plains police officers responded to the home near the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and First Street to execute what the sheriff’s office termed a “high risk apprehension.” 

According Howell County Sheriff Brent Campbell in a new release issued Monday, Collins was wanted on an active arrest warrant and had been known in the past to be armed, to resist arrest and to flee from officers. 

“As information developed, it was learned there were multiple subjects within the residence, and Collins was possibly armed with a handgun,” the sheriff said. 

While processing the scene, authorities asked area residents to exit their homes and then closed portions of First Street and Pennsylvania Avenue to motor and foot traffic until the situation was resolved. 

Deputies made contact with two people inside the home and made arrangements for them to exit through a window. Campbell said officers interviewed both individuals and learned there was a young girl inside. 

“Due to the presence of the juvenile female and the possibility of Mr. Collins being armed, the decision was made to activate the West Plains Police Department Crisis Negotiations Team,” Campbell said.

“Detective [Jeremy] Pounders of the West Plains Police Department Crisis Negotiations Team began to communicate over a PA system,” Campbell explained. “Through that communication, Mr. Collins made contact with Detective Pounders via cellular phone with the assistance of Howell County 911 and the West Plains Police Department Dispatch.” 

After several minutes of negotiation, Collins told detectives he would leave the residence through the front door. 

“Collins exited the residence and was safely taken into custody without incident,” Campbell said. 

The girl, who Campbell did not identify, was located and soon found to be reported as a missing runaway out of Howell County. 

According to Campbell, authorities contacted the 37th Judicial Circuit Juvenile Office, and the child was taken to the Howell County Sheriff’s Office and later released to a juvenile officer. 

Collins was taken to the Howell County jail, where he was booked on an outstanding arrest warrant for a parole violation. 

“The Howell County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the West Plains Police Department’s Dispatch, Patrol, Special Response Team, Crisis Negotiations Team, South Howell County Ambulance, Howell County 911, and the 37th Judicial Circuit Juvenile Office for their assistance in safely resolving this incident,” Campbell said. 

MARCH INCIDENT

A warrant was issued on March 29 for Collins' arrest on charges of armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with a domestic assault case.

According to an affidavit submitted to prosecutors by West Plains police, officers were dispatched to a home on the 1200 block of Jackson Street in West Plains on March 28 for a report of a man trespassing on the property with a firearm and advised that “he was going to shoot people.”

Police arrived at the scene and identified a woman who stated that the suspect, Collins, was her ex-boyfriend; they had been dating for three months and he had hit her in the face when she went with him to his family’s house that morning, she told officers. 

According to the affidavit, police observed the woman’s right eye was bruised and swollen, and she told police Collins had a black handgun that she thought was a Smith & Wesson, and he pointed it at her and threatened to kill her that morning. 

The woman reportedly told the responding officer that she gone to the West Plains Apartments  nearby shortly before a call was made to police to have the woman’s vehicle towed and taken to the scrap yard.

The woman told police her vehicle was parked in front of an apartment belonging to another girlfriend of Collins’, and that he had barricaded himself inside the apartment. 

According to the affidavit, the woman said Collins’ other girlfriend opened the door of her residence and yelled at her, “I’ll kill you.” 

She told police that Collins then pointed a black handgun at her through the window and was yelling, saying that he would kill her. 

The Howell County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the scene, according to the affidavit, and Detective Pounders began his attempts at contact with Collins by phone and PA system, just as he did on Saturday. 

Eventually, Collins exited the residence and was taken into custody. Police later located a Smith & Wesson firearm inside of a slit in a mattress in an upstairs bedroom, which was consistent with the description that was given to police, according to the affidavit.

Also according to the affidavit, during a post-Miranda interview, a detective advised police that Collins had admitted to being in possession of the handgun, and a warrant for his arrest was issued. 

Collins has a hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. June 6 before Associate Circuit Judge R. David Ray in Howell County Circuit Court in connection with the case.

Howell County Sheriff


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