MITCHELL— Mitchell Police Officer Cody Grogan requested a warrant for Gage M. Stout’s arrest after numerous reports of his erratic driving on Saturday, December 28, 2024.
Stout, 26, of Mitchell, was arrested on Friday, January 10th, on charges of reckless driving and criminal recklessness.
The situation began when Stout was allegedly involved in a verbal dispute with two other men. The two men had left the scene before Mitchell Police officers arrived. Stout claimed the men had attempted to enter his garage, leading to the disagreement. However, no evidence could support Stout’s claims of residential entry.
Meanwhile, Stout’s neighbor reported that Stout had performed a burnout in front of his house, leaving a black tire mark on the pavement. Police noted that the tension between Stout, the neighbor, and the neighbor’s family had reportedly escalated since October 2024, with multiple noise complaints and disagreements.
After this initial incident, officers were called to the Mitchell Police Department, where the two males reported Stout had almost struck one of them with his truck at 60’s Eastside Gas Station. Video footage from the gas station showed a red Dodge Ram with racing stripes, matching the description of Stout’s vehicle, performing burnouts and driving erratically. The footage also showed Stout driving at a high rate of speed and narrowly missing one of the males.
While the male who was nearly struck declined to press charges and did not file a statement, the video footage and other evidence led officers to believe that Stout’s actions constituted reckless driving and criminal recklessness. The investigating Officer, Grogan, requested a warrant for Stout’s arrest.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent unless convicted through due legal proceedings. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
