Curlie Pruitt III, 36, and Roy L. House, 38, both of Kansas City, Mo., are facing federal charges after a violent crime spree ended in a head-on collision with a police cruiser during a high-speed parking lot chase. The two men were indicted on three counts following a December 2016 crime wave that targeted gas stations and convenience stores across the Kansas City metro area.
The federal grand jury returned the indictment on January 10, 2017, charging Pruitt and House with conspiracy to commit robbery, aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during a violent crime, and being felons in possession of a firearm. The charges stem from a string of armed robberies at Road Star Gas Station in Independence, Beeline Mini-Mart in Excelsior Springs, and Discount Smoke Shop in Kansas City, where prosecutors allege the pair used a loaded American Tactical .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun to intimidate victims.
Pruitt, a convicted felon with prior records for assault, robbery, and illegal firearm possession, was behind the wheel of a blue Ford 500 when officers attempted to stop him after a suspicious activity report from a Super 8 Hotel employee. Instead of complying, Pruitt allegedly floored the car through the Quik Trip parking lot at high speed—directly into the path of an oncoming patrol vehicle. The head-on crash disabled both vehicles, trapping Pruitt as officers converged on the scene.
House, who also has felony convictions for assault, robbery, and a federal carjacking charge, was in the passenger seat. He remains on supervised release for the carjacking conviction. Officers recovered the loaded .45-caliber handgun from the front passenger floorboard after arresting both men at the crash site. The weapon linked them to all three robberies detailed in the indictment.
The indictment replaces a criminal complaint filed December 22, 2016, and adds weight to the original felon-in-possession charge with two more serious federal counts. If convicted, both men face decades in federal prison, with enhanced penalties due to their criminal histories and the use of a firearm in violent crimes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Independence Police Department, the Kansas City Police Department, and the Excelsior Springs Police Department. U.S. Attorney Tammy Dickinson emphasized that the indictment is an accusation only—trial by jury will determine guilt or innocence.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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