☰ Revisor of Missouri

Title XXXVIII CRIMES AND PUNISHMENT; PEACE OFFICERS AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS

Chapter 575

< > Effective - 01 Jan 2017, 4 histories, see footnote bottom

  575.150.  Resisting or interfering with arrest — penalties. — 1.  A person commits the offense of resisting or interfering with arrest, detention, or stop if he or she knows or reasonably should know that a law enforcement officer is making an arrest or attempting to lawfully detain or stop an individual or vehicle, and for the purpose of preventing the officer from effecting the arrest, stop or detention, he or she:

  (1)  Resists the arrest, stop or detention of such person by using or threatening the use of violence or physical force or by fleeing from such officer; or

  (2)  Interferes with the arrest, stop or detention of another person by using or threatening the use of violence, physical force or physical interference.

  2.  This section applies to:

  (1)  Arrests, stops, or detentions, with or without warrants;

  (2)  Arrests, stops, or detentions, for any offense, infraction, or ordinance violation; and

  (3)  Arrests for warrants issued by a court or a probation and parole officer.

  3.  A person is presumed to be fleeing a vehicle stop if he or she continues to operate a motor vehicle after he or she has seen or should have seen clearly visible emergency lights or has heard or should have heard an audible signal emanating from the law enforcement vehicle pursuing him or her.

  4.  It is no defense to a prosecution pursuant to subsection 1 of this section that the law enforcement officer was acting unlawfully in making the arrest.  However, nothing in this section shall be construed to bar civil suits for unlawful arrest.

  5.  The offense of resisting or interfering with an arrest is a class E felony for an arrest for a:

  (1)  Felony;

  (2)  Warrant issued for failure to appear on a felony case; or

  (3)  Warrant issued for a probation violation on a felony case.  

­­

­

The offense of resisting an arrest, detention or stop in violation of subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection 1 of this section is a class A misdemeanor, unless the person fleeing creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury or death to any person, in which case it is a class E felony.

­­--------

(L. 1977 S.B. 60, A.L. 1996 H.B. 1047, A.L. 2002 H.B. 1270 and H.B. 2032, A.L. 2005 H.B. 353, A.L. 2009 H.B. 62, A.L. 2014 S.B. 491)

Effective 1-01-17

(1992)  Offense of resisting arrest is the resistance by the defendant and the number of offenses for resisting arrest is not dependent upon how many officers were attempting to arrest defendant.  Double jeopardy bars multiple convictions for the same offense where the conduct is continuous.  State v. Good, 851 S.W.2d 1 (Mo. App. S.D.).

(1993) Statute requires for the crime of resisting arrest:  first that a person knows that a law enforcement officer is making an arrest, and second that the person resists the arrest by fleeing for the purpose of preventing the officer from effecting the arrest.  Where there was no evidence that officer was making an arrest nor was there any evidence that defendant knew that the officer was making an arrest, there was no evidence to sustain a conviction for resisting arrest.  State v. Dossett, 851 S.W.2d 750 (Mo. App. W.D.).

(2019)  Section making it a felony to resist an arrest for a felony does not require evidence of the arresting officer's subjective state of mind.  State v. Shaw, 592 S.W.3d 354 (Mo.banc).


---- end of effective  01 Jan 2017 ----

use this link to bookmark section  575.150


 - All versions
Effective End
575.150 1/1/2017
575.150 8/28/2009 1/1/2017
575.150 8/28/2005 8/28/2009
575.150 8/28/2002 8/28/2005

Click here for the Reorganization Act of 1974 - or - Concurrent Resolutions Having Force & Effect of Law
In accordance with Section 3.090, the language of statutory sections enacted during a legislative session are updated and available on this website on the effective date of such enacted statutory section. Revisor Home    

Other Information
 Recent Sections Editorials May Be Cited As Tables & Forms Multiple Enact
Repeal & Transfer Definitions End Report

Site changes Pictures Contact

Other Links
Legislative Research Oversight MOLIS
Library MO WebMasters
Senate
Missouri Senate
State of Missouri
MO.gov
House
Missouri House