Engine failure results in arrest

David Popp, 59, of Cape Girardeau was charged with the Class C felony of second-degree drug trafficking, the Class D felony of unlawful possession of a firearm and the Class E felonies of resisting arrest and unlawful possession of a firearm.

According to a police officer whose name is redacted in a probable-cause statement, around 1:21 a.m. April 8, Popp began driving dangerously after the officer began following him in his patrol car. A run of the car’s license plate showed the plate had expired in July 2023.

Popp stopped after the vehicle he was driving started smoking under the hood, according to the report. Once stopped, Popp, a previously convicted felon, told the officer he began to flee from the officer because his license was revoked.

During a search of the vehicle, officers found a 9 mm gun. Officers also found two plastic bags with “white crystal rocks”, a digital scale with “white crystal residue” and a clear glass smoking pipe. The bags weighed in at 35 grams. The crystals tested positive for methamphetamine on a field test of the substance.

On March 27, Popp was issued citations from the state Highway Patrol for driving while revoked/suspended, operating a vehicle without maintaining financial responsibility and failure to display plates on a vehicle.