Poplar Bluff man turns himself in after being charged in fatal hit-and-run

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Former Poplar Bluff businessman Benjamin Ressel, accompanied by his lawyer, surrendered himself at the Butler County Courthouse on Friday morning after a warrant was issued for his arrest in connection to the December 2015 hit-and-run death of 13-year-old Heavenly Grace Hafford.

The warrant was a result of a grand-jury investigation called by special prosecutor Ian Page, an assistant prosecuting attorney in Dunklin County.

According to Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs, Ressel was arrested on charges of felony leaving the scene of an accident, felony tampering with physical evidence and second-degree property damage.

Charges were read to Ressel by Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett at the Butler County Courthouse on behalf of the Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Attempts to obtain court documents detailing the charges were unsuccessful.

Heavenly Grace Hafford

The arrest comes 6 1/2 months after a grand jury was called to consider whether Ressel should be charged in connection with Hafford’s death.

Hafford died of blunt-force trauma after being struck by two vehicles at 7:15 p.m. Dec. 9, 2015, as she crossed Kanell Boulevard near the Maud Street intersection.

The first vehicle that allegedly struck the teen was found shortly after the crash, and its driver, Randal Craig Sparks, 43, of Poplar Bluff was arrested. Sparks subsequently was charged with the felonies of leaving the scene of an accident and tampering with physical evidence.

Sparks later was ordered to stand trial on the charges, and his case was moved to Greene County on a change of venue. After failing to appear at his scheduled court date Aug. 18, a failure-to-appear warrant was issued. Records indicate it has not been served.

Per witness reports and investigative leads, the alleged driver of a second vehicle was identified as Ressel. Investigators found what earlier was described as “biological material” on the undercarriage of Ressel’s truck. Authorities said the lab analysis of that evidence was a match for Hafford’s DNA.

In early June, Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Barbour announced he was not pursuing charges against Ressel based on his review of the investigative reports, including the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s reconstruction report and a lab report. According to then-Butler County Coroner Jim Akers’ report, which Sgt. Joe Weadon cited in his reconstruction report, Hafford was “killed as a result of the impact with (Sparks’ car).

“Therefore, when (Ressel’s truck) ran over her body after it came to rest following the impact with (Sparks’ car), she would not have been alive, and it is not considered an injury or fatality crash.”

Based on the reports and what the state must prove to convict someone on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident, Barbour said he found no evidence the second vehicle caused any injury or fatality.

However, a pathologist, who was consulted about Hafford’s death, later said there was no way he could positively know whether she was alive when hit by the second vehicle because the short time between impacts.

In mid-July, Barbour asked Pritchett to appoint a special prosecutor to handle the investigation of leaving the scene of an accident as it pertained to Ressel. Pritchett appointed Page.

After “reviewing everything pertaining to the case, Page said, he decided to call a grand jury. On Aug. 25, Pritchett signed a memorandum calling for the empanelment of a grand jury.

A civil suit against Ressel and Sparks by the victim’s father, Steve Hafford, on behalf of himself and the victim’s mother, Debra Moses, was settled in December. The details of the case remain sealed, but the settlement was split equally between the victim’s parents.

Pertinent address:

Kanell Boulevard and Maud Street, Poplar Bluff, Mo.