Police chief accused of firing at car

JOPLIN, Mo. -- The Duenweg police chief has been charged with assault for allegedly firing two shots into a fleeing vehicle.

The second-degree assault charge was filed Friday against Rick Marble, 39. He is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 17 in Jasper County Circuit Court.

"We feel the investigation our office conducted reveals that the charge is warranted, in my opinion," Jasper County Prosecutor Dean Dankelson said.

Meanwhile, the man Marble is accused of firing at is being sought on a fugitive warrant after he failed to show up for a court appearance last week.

Johnathan E. Hopkins, 22, of Kansas City was charged with resisting a lawful stop after allegedly leading law enforcement officers on the Nov. 21 chase through Duquesne, Webb City, Carterville and Carthage.

Marble apparently fired twice at Hopkins' vehicle as the chase made its way into Carthage, according to an incident report filed by Duquesne Police Chief Ron Huffman.

The first shot hit behind the passenger door. The report said Marble fired a second shot through the rear window of the passenger's side when Hopkins' vehicle moved forward as he stepped out of his patrol car.

In the report, Huffman said he heard a Carthage police officer ask Marble why he had fired into the vehicle, and that Marble responded that the driver had tried to run him off the road.

Marble, who has been police chief of Duenweg since August 2000, is on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of the probe. He would face up to seven years in prison if convicted.