Park Hills, MO – On July 10, 2025 at approximately 9:10 pm, the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) conducted and traffic stop related to a theft investigation from Park Hills Police Department. St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department (SFCSD) deputies were assisting. The traffic stop was on Highway B near Russell Rd in Park Hills.

While the deputies and trooper were conducting the traffic stop, a black motorcycle approached the area and almost hit the trooper’s patrol cruiser. A SFCSD deputy attempted to pull over the motorcycle but the driver accelerated quickly and fled.

At approximately 9:15 pm, the pursuit officially began with the motorcycle continuing to evade police at approximately 100 mph. During the pursuit, one of the SFCSD deputies lost traction around a curve in the road and went down an embankment damaging the patrol cruiser. Supervisors from the SFCSD terminated the pursuit citing public safety concerns.

At approximately 9:24 pm, the black motorcycle was found crashed by law enforcement near the intersection of Highway B and Old Bismarck Rd. Law enforcement identified the operator of the motorcycle as Michal Barnhouse, age 44, of Bonne Terre.

A K9 was used to search for Barnhouse in the area and he was quickly located, evaluated by EMS, and taken into custody. Barnhouse had outstanding felony warrants from St. Francois County, St. Louis County, and Arnold Police Department. The deputy involved in the cruiser crash was unharmed.

Paul Barnard Editor

Paul Barnard is the editor of the Twin City News. Barnard Graduated from Norwich University, America's oldest private military college, with a B.S. in Communications and Media Technology. There he studied journalism and marketing. For years after, Barnard was in law enforcement and gained experience in the Special Investigations Unit and publishing all the department's press releases. As Barnard's family grew, he moved on to start Twin City News.

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