Suspects in Thursday hit and run may be from Arkansas

Cape Girardeau Sheriff's Department investigators believe they know where the people who ran over a Cape Girardeau County man in his driveway Thursday morning came from.

Lt. David James, spokesman for the department, said the suspects in the crime, which is being investigated as felony vehicular assault, likely came from Pine Bluff, Ark. The sheriff's department reported in a news release that the suspects who ran over Paul Lett in his driveway were traveling paving contractors.

James said several Arkansas families who have traveled to the area to do paving work are staying at campgrounds in the Sikeston-Miner area, and that the suspects may be a part of that group. Other people in the Cape Girardeau area reported being visited by traveling contractors looking for paving work Thursday, he said.

"Obviously, we think they're on their way back to Arkansas," James said. James said the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Arkansas authorities are assisting in the search for Lett's assailants.

Lett was mowed over by a vehicle in his own driveway around 11:15 a.m. Thursday. He was still being treated Friday for major injuries, including broken ribs and vertebrae, a broken leg and severe road rash, James said.

According to a sheriff's department news release, Lett told police three vehicles came up to his driveway Thursday morning and occupants of those vehicles approached him about paving his driveway.

The accident occurred on Lett Lane off Bloomfield Road.

The three vehicles approached in succession during a 20-minute period. Lett turned the first two vehicles away. A third vehicle, believed to be a white Cadillac Escalade, then approached, with two men who appeared to be Hispanic, and a light-skinned male driver about 40 to 50 years old with short dark hair and noticeable acne scars, according to the news release.

The men in the third vehicle also asked to pave the driveway, and Lett told them to leave and called 911 on his cell phone. Lett said the driver then floored the accelerator and ran over him and fled in an unknown direction.

On Friday, James said evidence indicated the vehicle accelerated for 20 to 30 feet before running over Lett, meaning he was run over on purpose.

According to the news release, the three vehicles were a gold sport utility vehicle, a large white diesel truck with a light on top and possibly a placard on the side, and the white Cadillac Escalade.

msanders@semissourian.com

388-3652

Pertinent address:

Lett Lane, Cape Girardeau, MO