Owner of park says bad behavior at 'Trucks Gone Wild' event not welcome

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- As Scott Brickell handed out park maps Tuesday to a half-dozen state troopers, he described how security would be organized at the 400-acre park for the Trucks Gone Wild event that starts today.

High traffic times likely will be this afternoon through Saturday morning, Brickell said in response to questions from Troop E commander Capt. Jeff Vitale.

It was a different scene than the arguments reported between Brickell and troopers a year ago this week as the cattle farm turned off-road park drew thousands for an event neighbors said got out of control quickly.

Brickell said he does not want to see behavior that can result in injuries or calls for law enforcement.

"If that's their intent, they're going to learn real quick that they're not welcome," he said later, during a tour of the expanded entrance and park loop road.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol and other agencies responded to one fatality on park grounds last June; an alleged drunken-driving accident that seriously injured a neighboring resident; assault reports; at least two Air Evac requests; and numerous complaints from surrounding property owners about the drunken and unruly behavior of event participants.

In the year since, the Brickells have held multiple meetings like Tuesday's, talking through logistics with law enforcement, county officials and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

"I think it looks good," said Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Clark Parrott. "We want this to be a signature event for not only Poplar Bluff, but Butler County. We want people to come to the area ... but we want them to do it in a safe and responsible manner."

The patrol will have troopers in the area during the event and will conduct saturations throughout Butler County, Missouri, to check for hazardous moving violations and intoxicated drivers, Parrott said.

The Department of Natural Resources inspected low-water crossings throughout the park, checking for fencing designed to catch trash and absorb oil from vehicles.

Security stations will be set up at the entrance and the midway, Brickell said.

Security staff also will be on the loop road, he said.