Former restaurant owners face charges

A Daisy couple who have operated restaurants in three area locations in the past two years were arrested last week for failing to show up for court on felony bad check charges.

Associate Circuit Judge Scott E. Thomsen issued arrest warrants for Bobby Steers, 45, and Krissty Steers, 27, when they failed to appear for preliminary hearings Tuesday. They were arrested by the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department.

Bobby Steers was also due Tuesday in court on misdemeanor charges of failing to pay sales tax on the operations of the defunct Jackson Diner, 3125 E. Jackson Blvd., between Dec. 31, 2007, and March 31, 2008, and again from July 31, 2008, through Sept. 30, 2008.

Both Steerses posted bond and were released from the Cape Girardeau County Jail. No telephone listing could be found for the Steerses, and they could not be reached for comment.

The Steerses opened Jackson Diner (the facility now houses a Huddle House restaurant) in November 2007. They closed that business in October 2008, citing the high price the owners were asking for the building as the reason for moving.

According to a sworn statement from Jackie Fisher, special agent with the Missouri Department of Revenue Criminal Investigation Bureau, Bobby Steers operated Jackson Diner without a valid retail sales license and collected sales tax but did not turn it over to the state. When investigators met with Steers, he made a payment agreement, Fisher said, but failed to live up to the agreement by not making required monthly payments or by paying the debt with a bad check.

According to the documents filed with the case, Steers owes the state $32,978.24.

Before closing the Jackson Diner, the Steerses in August 2008 opened a restaurant called the Fruitland Diner at 5841 U.S. 61. On Feb. 1, the couple, with a group of partners, opened Bobby's Kitchen at 1015 N. Kingshighway. The Steerses lost control of both restaurants in April.

The bad check charges, originally filed in June, allege that Krissty Steers on Oct. 31, 2008, wrote a check for $1,100 to Coldwell Bank Select Realtors that was returned by the bank for insufficient funds. Bobby Steers is accused of writing a check for $1,100.90 to Bollinger Farms on Oct. 6, 2008, that was returned for insufficient funds.

Passing a bad check is a felony when the check amount is more than $500. The Steerses are scheduled to be in court Oct. 13.

rkeller@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent addresses:

188 Oak St., Daisy, MO

3125 E. Jackson Blvd., Jackson, MO

1015 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, MO

5841 U.S. 61, Fruitland, MO