Police say man leaves woman on side of I-55 after argument

An argument over who was going to pay for a tank of gasoline resulted in a man and his son being arrested Monday after the man's girlfriend was abandoned on the side of Interstate 55.

According to patrolman Jason Selzer of the Cape Girardeau Police Department, Willie Miles Jr., 48, of Memphis, Tenn., was driving south around 10:30 p.m. Monday on I-55 with his girlfriend and his son, 17-year-old Roderick Tutson. According to the girlfriend's statement, she noticed that the gas gauge was low and she and Miles began arguing about who was going to pay for the gasoline.

The argument became heated, Selzer said, and the woman attempted to call 911 with her cell phone. Miles allegedly grabbed the phone from her and threw it out the window. At that time, they were about a mile south of Center Junction, Selzer said.

"He pulled over to the side of the road and pushed her out the door," Selzer said. "She tried to come back in but Miles and Tutson threw beer cans at her and then sped off."

The car belonged to her, and her shoes and purse were still in it.

A passer-by picked the victim up, then called Cape Girardeau police. The Missouri State Highway Patrol stopped Miles in the woman's vehicle near Sikeston.

Selzer said that Miles' version of the incident had the two arguing but not over who was going to buy gasoline.

"His story was that she was upset because girls were calling him on his cell phone," Selzer said. "She grabbed the steering wheel and when he pulled over, she got out and started yelling at him and he drove off."

Warrants were issued against Miles for stealing and domestic violence. Selzer said that Tutson was charged with tampering because he remained in the vehicle knowing it did not belong to Miles.