The Laclede County Sheriff’s Office, Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group, Lebanon Police Department and the Missouri Highway Patrol Troop D SWAT team served a high risk search warrant in the 200 block of Lee Street yesterday afternoon. During the service of the search warrant Christopher Lee Zarhouni, 32, of Lebanon was arrested. Zarhouni was wanted for a parole violation and known to be armed and dangerous. “We had received several reports over the last few weeks about Zarhouni being armed and making threats toward law enforcement,” said Sheriff David Millsap. During the search warrant drugs and a weapon were seized at the home. “We believe Zarhouni has been involved in a number of property crimes, in Laclede County and Lebanon. LANEG will be presenting a probable cause statement to the Prosecutor in regards to the weapon and drugs seized in yesterday’s raid.” Not counting the search warrant served yesterday, LANEG has served six search warrants and made 34 arrest at the end of the third quarter this year and seized three firearms from drug dealers in Laclede County. The majority of the drug seizures have involved methamphetamine and fentanyl.

In an unrelated event on Tuesday night the Laclede County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri Highway Patrol, Lebanon Police Department and the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office arrested Dawson Hunter Preble, 21, of Richland. Preble was wanted in Phelps County for armed robbery. Preble has several ties to the local criminal element in Laclede County, and had been the target to locate for the Sheriff’s Office and the Lebanon Police Department, over the past two weeks. On Tuesday night Laclede County Deputies received information that Preble was at illegally at a residence in the 23000 block of Pine Tree Road. As deputies approached the garage area of the residence Preble was sitting in a 2012 Chevrolet Impala. When he saw the deputies, Preble placed the vehicle in gear and rammed a Laclede County patrol vehicle and fled in the Impala. Deputies pursued the vehicle to the 21000 block of Pine Tree Road, where Preble crashed through a gate and barbwire fence. He then got out of the vehicle and fled through the woods. Preble reached the area of 22000 Emerson Road, where he stole a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500.

After stealing the vehicle, which was equipped with GPS monitoring device, the vehicle was located at a residence in Pulaski County. Preble was taken into custody by the MSHP, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office and Laclede County Sheriff’s Office.

The patrol vehicle that Preble struck received damage and the deputy driving the vehicle did not receive any injuries. The Sheriff’s Office will present a Probable Cause Statement to the prosecutor’s office for resisting arrest, assault on law enforcement officer, felony resisting arrest, property damage and tampering with a motor vehicle.

 

Christopher Lee Zarhouni