Sixth grader's mother dies in drunk driving accident

By CHRISTINA OCHOA
Staff Writer

The mother of East Middle School sixth grader Tanner Bartholomew was killed in an accident. Anita L. Lizotte is 46 and a mother was killed by a Noel man facing manslaughter and that was drunk driver in an accident on East Fifth Street near Murphy Boulevard at 1:01 am on October 13.

When she was driving down the rode she didn’t know that a Noel man was on a chase from the police and was going to crash into her. A corporal police officer Chuck Niess said Lizotte was a passenger in a GMC Yukon driven by Francisco Espinoza, who was 22, he allegedly led police officers on a pursuit in the downtown area when they tried to pull him over for allegedly running a red light at Fourth and Main Streets. The pursuit ended when Espinoza sped up and lost control of the vehicle crossing the railroad tracks in front of Missouri Gas Energy operations, than he became airborne and crashed into a ditch. Then, the car burst into flames and the police officers were able to extinguish the fire. Lizotte, died at the scene. Police have yet to indicate if either driver were wearing a seat belt. The driver was taken to St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin. On Monday Espinoza remained in the hospital but the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department custody on charges of first-degree manslaughter, driving while intoxicated and driving with a revoked license, his bond on all three charges were totaled $85,000, Involuntary Manslaughter in the First degree is $75,000, Felony driving while Intoxicated $5000.00, and felony driving while Revoked $5000.00. Espinoza and Lizotte were the only occupants in the vehicle. The Missouri State Highway Patrol was called in to assist police in a reconstruction of the accident.

Ms. Lizotte was born Oct. 1, 1963, in Kansas City, Mo and passed on Oct 11, 2009. Her parents are Roscoe and Frieda (Becker) Stovall, of Quapaw, Oklahoma. Anita graduated from Quapaw high school and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Pittsburg State University. She worked for a Missouri Career Center, AT&T, and was currently employed in Economic Security Corporation in Joplin. She was a member of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church and was on Board of Director’s at the Independent living center. Anita was preceded in death by her father, a brother named John Stovall and her grandparents. Survivors are her four daughter’s Chelsea Bartholomew age 19, Micaela Bartholomew age 16, Sierra Bartholomew, age 14, and Tanner Bartholomew age 11. Their father Ken Bartholomew; Her mother Frieda Stovall Bowers, her husband, Dean Quapaw, four brothers and many more have had their hearts broken. Tanner’s sisters are all former South Middle School Students. Although these kids lost their mother they still have her in their heart to show them the way, and to guide them if they are ever hurt and need someone to talk to.