Man Charged After Pursuit and Alleged Box Cutter Attack

An Independence man is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say he led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit early Sunday morning and then tried to stab a Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputy with a box cutter after the chase ended.

Scott K. Adkins, 59, is being held in the Clay County Detention Center on charges of second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, armed criminal action and aggravated fleeing from law enforcement under Valentine’s Law. His bond has been set at $200,000.

The incident began at 3:52 a.m. Sunday, July 12, when a deputy saw a vehicle speeding and changing lanes without signaling on Interstate 435 near Shoal Creek Parkway, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Dispatchers also confirmed the vehicle’s license plate was registered to a different vehicle.

When the deputy tried to stop the vehicle, the driver fled. Authorities said the vehicle continued at high speed, swerving between lanes and at one point leaving the roadway before striking a yield sign and a low-hanging tree. The vehicle returned to I-435 and continued fleeing until a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper used a tactical vehicle intervention near Cookingham Road to bring it to a stop.

After the pursuit ended, Adkins refused commands to get out of the vehicle, authorities said. Deputies said he was acting erratically and reaching around inside the vehicle, causing officers to fear he may have been trying to find a weapon. Law enforcement attempted to negotiate with him, but he refused to surrender and told officers they would have to kill him.

When Adkins was briefly distracted by his phone, a Clay County deputy broke a vehicle window in an effort to remove him. Authorities said Adkins first swung a bag of mini donuts at the deputy, then thrust an extended box cutter toward the deputy. The deputy was able to avoid being struck, and officers backed away while a Highway Patrol trooper continued negotiations.

During the standoff, authorities said Adkins began drifting in and out of consciousness and then started stabbing himself in the abdomen. A Platte County Sheriff’s Office deputy deployed a Taser, temporarily immobilizing him. Clay County deputies then removed Adkins from the vehicle and took him into custody.

Adkins was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where officials said medical staff determined his self-inflicted wounds were superficial. Deputies later found six box cutters inside the vehicle.

The Sheriff’s Office said additional charges for driving while intoxicated could be possible pending lab results, because Adkins’ behavior during the incident indicated he may have been impaired by illegal narcotics.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.