‘No contest’ plea from Joplin dentist after fatal hit-and-run

A Joplin dentist has plead no contest to a felony charge of attempting to interfere with law enforcement after a fatal hit-and-run crash more than two years ago.

55-year-old John Henry Joseph entering that plea in court Wednesday.

It stems from an incident in August of 2023, when his son, Rocco, allegedly hit and killed 60-year-old Gary Wayne LaTurner, of Galena, Kansas.

Rocco left the scene and returned a short time later with his father, but neither called law enforcement.

The Cherokee County Attorney’s Office says, “Following an extensive investigation led by the Kansas Highway Patrol, our office pursued and obtained a conviction against the individual whose conduct following the accident rose to the level of criminal interference. The KHP’s investigation determined that while the juvenile driver involved in the initial impact was not criminally liable for the collision itself, John Joseph’s actions in the aftermath of the accident obstructed the investigative process and the driver’s duty to report, and thus warranted felony prosecution.”

He will be sentenced November 19th.