My nephew, Noah Hayes Shuler, gets nailed for driving 88 mph in a 60 zone, but his father (my brother-lawyer David Shuler) is rushing to his defense in Missouri

Noah Hayes Shuler
(From jewellcardinals.com)

Another of my nephews is in trouble with the law here in the Heartland. This time, it's Noah Hayes Shuler, the oldest son of my brother-lawyer (David Shuler) and his wife (Gina Hayes Shuler).

According to public records, a Missouri state trooper clocked Noah driving up to 88 mph in a 60 mph zone on May 22, 2017. Noah is charged with Exceeding Posted Speed Limit (Exceeded By 20 - 25 mph) {Misdemeanor B RSMo: 304.010}.

The statute includes the following language:

11. Any person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a class C misdemeanor, unless such person was exceeding the posted speed limit by twenty miles per hour or more then it is a class B misdemeanor.

Class B misdemeanors in Missouri include driving while intoxicated and first-degree trespassing, and they carry a possible punishment of up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

Noah is an 18-year-old freshman at William Jewell College, a liberal-arts school, in Liberty, MO, where he plays on the soccer team. He graduated in 2017 from Greenwood Laboratory School, a private school associated with Missouri State University in Springfield.

Noah's encounter with the law happened at 1:43 a.m., as he was driving at a high rate of speed on U.S. 65, north of Evans Road, which leads into the Millwood golf-course community, where his family lives in a house appraised at $631,300. The residence is part of $1.162 million in real estate that David and Gina Shuler own in Greene County.

Here is Trooper E. Mueller's description of the incident, from a traffic ticket. (See 1731-TR01863 - ST V NOAH HAYES SHULER at case.net.)

Exceeded posted speed limit (exceeded by 20-25 miles per hour). FR radar same, pass test at 0147 hours. OBSV as vehicle passed patrol car and then rapidly increased speed, to as fast as 88 just S/O Battlefield and into 55 MPH zone. Patrol cruise set at 60 MPH. "I was supposed to be home at 0130."


Driving 85, with posted speed limit of 60

US-65 SB N/O Evans Rd.

Noah's excuse to the trooper apparently was that he was supposed to be home by 1:30 a.m., and he was running about 15 minutes late. Hmmm . . .

David Shuler

In his freshman soccer season at William Jewell, Noah played in one match, for four minutes. The team had a 3-14 record under Coach Garrett Jahn. (Yes, Noah's name is misspelled as "Schuler" on the team roster. I've been dealing with that my whole life, and I guess he will be, too. In the digital age, you'd think someone could manage to make that easy correction.)

The traffic incident occurred in May, but the case docket shows it did not become a court case until Sept. 28. The docket shows that Noah entered a plea of not guilty, and his father entered an appearance on his behalf on Nov. 3.

An arraignment is set for 9 a.m. on Dec. 19.

We sought comment from David Shuler, and he responded with some pretty interesting words.

(To be continued)