Former Missouri sheriff charged after allegedly pushing officer making arrest, court says
The former sheriff of Ray County has been charged with a misdemeanor for interfering with the arrest of another man at a steakhouse in January, court records filed Tuesday show.
A probable cause affidavit filed March 19 says Garry Bush stepped in front of and pushed an officer who was attempting to arrest another man acting erratically with a gun at a restaurant.
Officers responded to a call shortly after 7 p.m. Jan. 25 to 708 Wollard Boulevard on a call that a man had a gun in a restaurant and was “acting erratic.”
The affidavit said an officer obtained the gun from the suspect. After he cleared the weapon, loaded with one round, the officer saw the suspect walk away from another officer toward Bush.
The suspect lifted his left hand and the officer who had cleared the weapon rushed to assist, grabbing the man’s left hand, the affidavit said.
Officers said the suspect broke away and at this point Bush allegedly stepped in front of the officer. The affidavit said Bush then used his left hand to push the officer back, saying “don’t do it” and “don’t start.”
“I pushed Garry Bush away from me, telling him not to get involved,” Cpl. Cody Davis with the Richmond Police wrote in the affidavit. “It should be noted it took several attempts to get Garry Bush to stop interfering.”
A news release from the Platte County Prosecutor’s Office March 19 said prosecutor Eric Zahnd has been appointed to serve as special prosecuting attorney on the case. The charge was filed Tuesday after his office reviewed police reports, surveillance video and body camera footage from Richmond police officers.
The charge against Bush — interfering with an arrest — is a class A misdemeanor.
Bush served as Ray County sheriff from 2012 until 2020, when he decided not to run for re-election. In October 2023, Bush’s time as sheriff was put under a spotlight when Missouri Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick gave the county the lowest possible rating from his office.
The scathing review found that the sheriff’s office spent county money on beer, 15 TVs and 76 hams. The audit also uncovered missing money from concealed carry weapon permit fees and sex offender registry fees under Bush’s leadership from 2018-2020.
Issues uncovered by the state auditor in Ray County highlight problems uncovered in a recent investigation by The Star, which showed how local governments often lack safeguards against fraud and mismanagement of taxpayer money.
Scott Childers, who took over as Ray County sheriff in 2021, told The Star last fall that the audit spoke to his campaign message of poor management within the county when he was Bush’s political opponent.
Childers was removed from office by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey in early March after he unlawfully allowed prisoners to leave jail, perform work for friends and acquaintances and smuggle in drugs, alcohol and other contraband, Bailey claimed.
“Respondent has allowed these detainees to drive vehicles, make purchases at local stores, leave the State of Missouri, and generally move about Ray County without proper supervision,” Bailey’s petition for quo warranto said.
Ray County, which includes the cities of Camden and Crystal Lakes, is located about 47 miles east of Kansas City. It has an estimated population of 23,107 people, according to the most recent census data.
This story includes reporting from The Star’s Jonathan Shorman, Kacen Bayless and Bill Lukitsch.
