Published: October 06, 2009 04:39 pm      

Mercer County Sheriff's Dept. — Sept. 25-30, 2009

MERCER SHERIFF

Sept. 25

• GRAND LARCENY: Cpl. S.A. Sommers received a complaint on station from a man who stated he had pawned his truck to a man and that they had used the truck to haul scrap on Sept. 24. The man then reported that the truck was taken from the property of the man to whom he pawned the truck. Officers later learned that the truck was at Mercer Wrecker, after allegedly being involved in a single-vehicle crash the night before on Old Spanishburg Road.

Sept. 26

• DUI:Senior Dep. W.C. Wilborn and Cpl. S.A. Sommers responded to a possible kidnapping complaint on Packing Plant Road. When they arrived, the officers encountered a man operating a white Chrysler Lebaron. The man reportedly appeared unsteady on his feet and smelled strongly of alcohol. The man allegedly refused to perform field sobriety tests or consent to a blood-alcohol test. Scotty Eugene Tibbs, 36, of Bluefield, was arrested on a DUI charge.

• DOMESTIC BATTERY: Dep. J.R. Coburn responded to a domestic disturbance on Top Street in Bluefield. The woman, located at a neighbor's residence, reported her husband struck her and said, “I'm the devil, and I'm gonna take you to hell with me.” The woman advised the man struck her in the face with his fist and hit her in the foot with a wooden stick. The victim also told officers the man had placed a machete and wooden hatchet on the coffee table. The officer located the machete, stick and a small hatchet and observed that the residence was in disarray with several holes in the wall. Ronald E. Fleming, 34, of Bluefield, was arrested and charged with domestic battery.

Sept. 27

• DOMESTIC BATTERY: Dep. G.C. Paitsel and Dep. A.M. Ballard responded to Kamikaze Sports Bar, where an altercation was reported between a male and female. The alleged victim reported that she got into a verbal argument with her ex-husband inside the business. The two reportedly exited the bar and continued to fight outside, where the woman said the ex-husband became violent. She told officers the incident happened so fast she couldn't explain it, but Paitsel reported that one pants leg and one shirt sleeve had been torn in the process. The woman requested transport to the hospital, for treatment to a possible neck injury. Officers advised her of the domestic violence petition process and how to pursue criminal charges.

• DUI: As Dep. G.C. Paitsel and Dep. A.M. Ballard investigated the above-listed domestic altercation at Kamikaze, Paitsel reported seeing a woman sitting behind the wheel of her Jeep Commander. The woman reported she had been drinking but planned to sit in the parking lot until she was sober enough to drive again. Minutes later, the officer observed the same vehicle following a Bluefield Rescue Squad unit, allegedly straddling the center line and following too closely behind the emergency vehicle. Paitsel initiated a traffic stop and reported the woman told him there were two cups of orange juice and vodka in the center console of her vehicle. The woman, Heater Renae Short, 25, of Princeton, allegedly failed field sobriety tests and registered over the legal blood-alcohol limit with a reading of 0.149. Short was arrested, and her vehicle was towed.

• DOMESTIC ASSAULT, DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY: Dep. J.D. Gills responded to Estal Street in Princeton, where a domestic disturbance was reported. Horn talked with the man present, who reported he had argued with his girlfriend, his mom and his mom's boyfriend and that he broke the door and window during the argument. Officers then talked with the suspect's mother who reported the argument began because the suspect did not have a job, and escalated when the suspect threatened to fight the mother's boyfriend. The complainants locked the suspect outside, at which time, he allegedly punched the glass in the door and broke the window to gain entrance. Ryan Dunn, 20, of Athens, was arrested.

Sept. 28

• BURGLARY, DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY: Sgt. S.J. Cary, Dep. A.M. Ballard and Dep. G.C. Paitsel responded to Villa Mobile Home Park, where a prowler was reported. Complainants advised they say a white male known as “Pug” carrying a flat-screen TV, drills and more across the fence between two mobile home parks. Officers identified and questioned the suspect and located several mobile homes where he either lived or spent time. They also spoke with a woman who reported the suspect had attempted to sell her the items complainants reported seeing him with and that were also stolen from another nearby residence. Densil Lester Jr. 39, of Bluefield, was arrested.

• MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT: Dep. G.C. Paitsel responded to Route 52, where a Honda Civic was in the ditch on the north side. The officer was unable to locate the driver and called a wrecker to tow the vehicle that appeared to have been abandoned in the ditch. The driver later contacted authorities and reported that she was home. She was advised that her vehicle was towed.

• IDENTITY THEFT: Dep. E.P. Parks received a complaint on station that someone had applied for and received a credit card using the complainant's name, birthday and social security number. The suspect then reportedly ran up a $2,500 credit card bill using PayPal Plus Online services. The woman reported she never sought, accepted or used the credit card in question. The case was forwarded to the detective bureau.

• ASSAULT ON AN OFFICER, BATTERY, OBSTRUCTING: Dep. E.P. Parks, Dep. J.R. Coburn, Dep. J.D. Gills and Trooper R.J. Jackson responded to Village Green Mobile Home Park, where a suicidal subject was reported to be barricaded in a bedroom and possibly armed. Parks made contact with the complainant, who reported there was a firearm in the residence, but he did not know if the subject had it with her. The complainant reported his wife had taken a pair of scissors into her bedroom and said she was going to kill herself. Parks located the woman, who was lying on her bed on her back with a blanket pulled over her. She allegedly made a move to signify she had a firearm in her hand and threatened to shoot the officer. Parks and other officers repeatedly instructed the woman to drop whatever weapon she had, and she finally told them she had scissors and was cutting herself. Parks eventually was forced to enter the room and remove the blanket, while other officers provided cover in the event she was in possession of the gun. The officer determined she did have scissors in her left hand and attempted to restrain her. The woman allegedly fought back, at which time, other officers assisted. Despite her belligerent actions, the officers were ultimately able to get the woman onto a gurney, where she could be transported to a local hospital. Parks noted he was not pursuing criminal charges at this time, due to the suspect's mental condition, but he reserved the right to do so at a later date.

Sept. 29

• BURGLARY: Dep. D.A. Furches received a walk-in complainant who reported an unknown person contacted him and said a person had been staying in a camper he owned near the Crystal sign. The man investigated and found the door had been damaged and that dishes, forks, lamps, a bed, a sump pump and more were missing. The case was forwarded to the detective bureau.

• DOMESTIC ASSAULT, BATTERY: Dep. E.P. Parks responded to Loco Lane in Roundhouse Mobile Home Park, where a domestic disturbance was in progress. The woman reported her fiancé was inside the residence tearing things up and cursing at other parties inside. The officer found the suspect sitting inside, drinking beer and appearing indifferent to the fact that officers had been called to the scene. The officer observed a broken cabinet in the room, and was advised the man had shoved the woman onto the couch. Davis L. Thomas, 51, of Princeton, was arrested.

• DUI, DRIVING REVOKED: Dep. J.R. Coburn and Sgt. G.W. Woods responded to a single vehicle crash on Spurrior Road in Bluewell. The officers located a red Chevrolet pickup truck lying on the driver's side on the right shoulder of the road. A man nearby stated he was driving the truck and had been run off the road by another vehicle. He reported he had consumed two beers before driving the truck. The man allegedly attempted a blood-alcohol test, but did not complete the test properly. He declined to take part in field sobriety testing. Thomas E. McCall, 47, of Bluefield, was arrested.