Former owner of the Pierce Arrow show arrested on felony DWI charge

by Jason Wert

The former owner of the award-winning Pierce Arrow show has been arrested related to a drinking and driving incident on Thanksgiving.

Dan Britton has been charged with one count of DWI-Persistent, a class E felony.

According to court documents, Branson police were dispatched on Thanksgiving day for a “check well-being” call because individuals were concerned about Britton being intoxicated and planning to drive home.

According to police reports, an officer spoke with Britton and noticed his eyes were “watery and glassy” and he was slurring some words while responding to the officer’s inquiries. The officer also smelled “a moderate odor of intoxicants” coming from Britton.

Britton had not accessed his vehicle, and he told the responding officer he was not going to be leaving the facility for “another three hours.” The officer then allegedly informed Britton he observed signs of impairment, and if Britton needed to leave the theater for any reason he should call for a sober driver.

The officer then left the property, only to receive another call from dispatch to return for a possible disturbance involving Britton. The officer arrived and was talking to a witness when the officer said they observed Britton driving through the parking lot.

According to the report, the officer said he made contact with Britton, and noticed a half-full bottle of Tito’s Vodka “in plain view” on the passenger side of the vehicle. He tried to conduct field sobriety tests with Britton, which Britton refused. The officer then arrested Britton because of “signs of impairment.”

When he was at the Branson Police Station, Britton agreed to a breath test and his sample produced a blood alcohol content of .231, almost triple the state’s legal limit of .08.

The felony complaint filed in Taney County Court by the prosecutor’s office states Britton qualifies as a “persistent offender” because of previous Driving While Intoxicated convictions in 2008 and 2014.

Britton was taken to the Taney County Jail, where he pleaded not guilty to the charge in Taney County Associate Court and was released on his own recognizance.

A class E felony in Missouri could bring a sentence of up to four years in state prison, a year in county jail, or even probation at the judge’s discretion. The persistent offender label means if convicted Britton would have to serve 30 days in jail before being eligible for probation or parole.

Britton’s attorney Stacie Bilyeu told the Branson Tri-Lakes News Britton would not be making a statement on her advice as his counsel, and she wants the public to remember Britton is innocent until proven guilty in court.

A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for March 11, 2025.