Felon reports own attempt to buy gun, is arrested for DWI that day

Justin M. Kimbell, 41, of Mountain View, is currently on probation for a DWI crash with injuries. He is serving a suspended execution of a three-year sentence in the Missouri Department of Corrections, and yet – he called the cops himself when a gun deal he arranged went south. 

 

On June 3, Kimbell contacted Howell County Sheriff’s deputies claiming he purchased a gun from someone who refused to refund his money after learning he was a felon. While en route to investigate, Deputy Timothy Gordon observed Kimbell driving a vehicle with no registration. Deputy Gordon stopped the accused, who he knew should not have been driving due to a suspended license. During the traffic stop, Kimbell was discovered to be intoxicated and behaving erratically. He failed field sobriety tests and showed a blood-alcohol level of .309%, according to court documents. 

 

He was taken into custody for a 24-hour DWI hold. 

 

Meanwhile, Deputy Brandon Barnes made contact with the other party in the gun transaction. He learned the recent transaction was not, in fact, a sale, but a barter – guns for guns. 

 

The other party is considered by law enforcement to be a victim in the transaction, however, because she disclosed and provided photographic evidence of, a near-fatal encounter she had with Kimbell in April 2025. 

 

She was allegedly giving Kimbell a ride when he began acting erratically, pulled out a black powder revolver, and placed it against her head. She heard the hammer cock and succeeding in swiping the muzzle away from her head before Kimbell fired, blowing out the drivers side window and leaving powder burns on the victim’s face. 

 

She says she has feared Kimbell since that day, but that she had traded guns with him before. The attempted barter disagreement occurred that day because Kimbell returned the traded gun to her, then later demanded it back. When she refused, he called law enforcement. 

 

Kimbell was charged with first degree assault, persistent DWI, discharging a firearm at a person, unlawful possession of a firearm, and armed criminal action. 

 

He has a $25,000 bond on these charges.