**UPDATE** February 2, 2025 – Ray County, Mo. – The suspect at the center of an hours-long standoff in rural Ray County near Wood Heights on January 31, 2025, was identified as Joshua Dawson, according to Ray County Sheriff Gary Blackwell. Dawson, who had active felony probation violation warrants with no bond out of Ray County, was taken into custody at 10:24 p.m. after law enforcement deployed chemical agents into the residence.
Sheriff Blackwell explained that the events leading up to Dawson’s arrest began around 3:00 p.m. when deputies received a tip regarding Dawson’s whereabouts. Deputies initially canvassed the area in search of Dawson’s vehicle but were unable to locate it. A tipster later flagged down a deputy and reported seeing the suspect’s vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed near 128th Road and Klatt Road.
“When deputies arrived at the address, they located the vehicle still running with a female passenger inside,” Blackwell said. The occupant of the residence confirmed that Dawson had gotten out of the car and was hiding inside the home.
At that point, deputies evacuated the resident and the female passenger. They then established a perimeter and attempted to call Dawson out of the residence using loudspeaker announcements, but they received no response.
Due to Dawson’s refusal to communicate, the Missouri State Highway Patrol SWAT Team was called in for assistance. While awaiting their arrival, deputies obtained a search warrant for the residence based on the tip and the confirmation from the home’s occupant.
Once on the scene, the SWAT team attempted to contact Dawson again, but he remained unresponsive. When officers attempted to enter the home under the authority of the warrant, they found the front door barricaded.
According to Missouri State Highway Patrol Corporal Justin Howard, after several hours of unsuccessful negotiations, law enforcement deployed chemical munitions, prompting Dawson to exit the residence. He was immediately taken into custody at 10:24 p.m. and transported to the Ray County Jail on his existing felony warrants.
Blackwell confirmed Dawson’s previous Ray County charges were related to possession of controlled substances but did not provide details on the specific probation violations that led to the no-bond warrant.
On December 23, 2024, Dawson was arrested by Excelsior Springs Police on a Clay County warrant for tampering with a vehicle after being spotted by officers riding in the back seat of a red Ford Ranger (Read more here). Dawson was later released on bond.
Regarding public concerns about repeat offenders being released quickly, Blackwell said he shares the frustration but explained that the judiciary sets probation, allowing individuals a chance to reintegrate into society.
“There are multitudes of reasons why someone is released out of jail,” Blackwell said. “Sometimes, it’s judges wanting to keep the population in the jail low. Sometimes, offenders are given the benefit of the doubt. But, ultimately, that decision on sentencing is up to a judge.”
Dawson remains in custody at the Ray County Jail, which has remained for temporary holds, and is expected to go before a judge for sentencing early this week, most likely on Monday, according to Blackwell. Once sentenced, he will be transferred to a different facility, with Daviess/Dekalb Regional Jail or Harrison County Detention Center being the most likely locations for long-term incarceration.
Previous Coverage
**UPDATE** January 31, 2025, 11:56 pm – An hours-long standoff in Wood Heights ended late Friday night with the arrest of a suspect wanted by both the Ray County and Clay County Sheriff’s Offices.
According to Corporal Justin Howard of the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP), the Ray County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance around 3:00 p.m. on January 31, 2025, at a residence off Klatt Road in Excelsior Springs. Cpl. Howard clarified that this was not a pursuit but rather a check of the residence by the Ray County Sheriff’s Office based on information they had received.
When deputies arrived, the individual barricaded inside and refused to come out. The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s SWAT Team was called to the scene and attempted to establish communication with the suspect. After several hours of unsuccessful negotiations, law enforcement deployed chemical munitions into the residence.
The individual exited the home and was taken into custody at 10:24 pm without further incident. The suspect was then turned over to Ray County deputies, who handled the arrest and transportation.
Authorities have not yet confirmed whether additional individuals were inside the home during the standoff. The Ray County Sheriff’s Office is overseeing the investigation, and all further inquiries have been directed to their office.
The Excelsior Citizen has reached out to the Ray County Sheriff’s Office for confirmation of the suspect’s identity and will provide updates as they become available.
Ray County, Mo. (January 31, 8:31 pm)– Editor’s Note: Our early coverage of this story stated that a pursuit began at approximately 5:30 pm. We later learned that there was no pursuit, and the incident began at approximately 3:00 pm after Ray County Deputies arrived at the residence for a check based on information received by their office.
Residents of Excelsior Springs were startled Friday evening when numerous emergency vehicles raced through town, sirens blaring. Residents reported seeing a SWAT truck and more than a dozen law enforcement vehicles on their way to a developing situation in Wood Heights.
According to Corporal Justin Howard of the Missouri Highway Patrol, at approximately 5:30 p.m., the Ray County Sheriff’s Office pursued a suspect to a residence near the intersection of 128th and Klatt Road. The suspect, who is believed to be armed and has outstanding warrants, barricaded himself inside the home. The Missouri State Highway Patrol was called in to provide additional support.
Neighbors on the scene told The Excelsior Citizen that they believed the suspect did not own the home but had been staying at the residence.
At approximately 8:10 pm, Corporal David Klein of the MSHP said that authorities were still trying to talk with the suspect but were not receiving any response. Cpl. Howard said they were unsure how many individuals were in the home.
“We are working to establish communication with the individual inside the home, and there may possibly be others with him,” Howard said.
At this time, the situation remains ongoing. This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
If you appreciate the value our local journalism brings to the community, please consider making a recurring contribution to the Excelsior Citizen!
