Man with two convictions faces new DWI from Feb.

Corey Pool, 32, of Gainesville, has been charged with driving while intoxicated, as a persistent offender. The persistent offender status is due to Pool’s two prior DWI convictions, which elevates the charge from a misdemeanor to a felony. The 

Pool also has a misdemeanor charge filed against him for operating a motor vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner. 

According to the probable cause statement, prepared by Ozark County Sheriff’s Deputy Gannon Moss, at 11:02 p.m. Feb. 1, the officer was working uniform patrol in Ozark County on Highway 160, just outside of Gainesville. 

While sitting on the side of the roadway, Deputy Moss observed a white GMC truck pass by, traveling eastbound on Highway 160. As it passed, Gannon noticed that the passenger side taillight was not working. 

Moss pulled behind the truck, and the driver of the truck quickly turned his blinker on, signaling he was going to pull onto a private driveway. The officer turned on his lights to signal the driver to pull over, and the driver continued on to the private drive and pulled in. The officer pulled behind him. 

“As I approached the driver’s side door, the driver began to exit the vehicle. I instructed the driver… to remain in his truck. The suspect told me ‘no’ and continued to exit his vehicle… I again instructed him to get back inside his truck. He turned around and entered back into the driver’s seat, while I held the door open,” Moss wrote in the report. 

“As I stood in the doorway of the truck, I observed a small Fireball shooter on the ground, right underneath the suspect’s door. I also could smell the odor of an intoxicating beverage emanating from the suspect’s breath and/or person,” Moss wrote. 

The officer ran Pool’s information throughout the MULES system and then asked Pool to exit the vehicle, so he could speak with him at the rear of the truck. 

“As we were walking, I could observe the suspect walking clumsily and swaying, unable to maintain his balance. The suspect had bloodshot, watery eyes, and he was talking with a slurred speech. I asked him about the Fireball shot that had fallen out of his truck and asked if he had anything more to drink tonight. He was hesitant with his response, and then reluctantly responded with ‘yeah.’ When I asked him how much he had consumed, he responded with ‘dude,’ again reluctant to respond. I told him that he was barely able to stand up with me during the questioning and asked if he would be willing to blow in my portable break test (PBT), to which he refused. I asked him if he’d be willing to go through the standard sobriety field tests with me, to which he refused,” Moss said in his report. 

While speaking with another deputy on scene, Pool reportedly admitted to taking a couple of shots. He was arrested and transported to the Ozark County Jail. 

Pool posted a $5,000 cash-only bond on April 17, and is out on pre-trial release. He is ordered to return to Ozark County court at 11 a.m. May 16. Associate Judge Raymond Gross recused himself from the case on his own motion. The case was forwarded to Circuit Judge Craig Carter for assignment, and Wright County Associate Judge Lynette Veenstra was assigned.