By John Howell

Law enforcement officials continue an investigation into a February 10 incident where a man who appeared to be impersonating a police officer stopped a motorist on Highway 35 South.

According to the initial report by Deputy Sheriff Jeremy Hailey, the female victim stated that a black male about six feet tall driving an unmarked black SUV pulled her over on Highway 35 South, Batesville, near Brasell’s Store building about 11:30 p.m. when she swerved to avoid a pothole. The man “had a gun and radio on his side, wearing a tan shirt but the collar was chocolate color and didn’t have any brass, badge nor PSO (Panola Sheriff’s Office) patches,” Hailey’s report states.

“The male subject became agitated when she wouldn’t roll the window all the way and more agitated when she refused to exit the vehicle,” the report continues. The victim told the man that she would exit when another police officer was present.

The incident was one of about 30 calls for service that general Offense/Incident Reports by officers of the Panola County Sheriff’s Department from February 5 through February 13. The information is contained in Offense/Incident Reports released by Panola County Sheriff Dennis Darby in cooperation with an open records request from The Panolian. 

Investigator Terry Smith was called about 10 p.m. Feb. 9 to the scene of a commercial property fire  on Highway 6 East where small, consumer-size propane tanks are stored. Fire broke out as an employee was unloading tanks from a trailer with a forklift, causing several to explode, Smith’s report states. The forklift driver received minor injuries and was transported by ambulance for hospital treatment

The sheriff’s report chronicled 10 investigations into complaints of property crime, including:

• A Feb. 8 Investigator Danny Beavers investigated the theft of a Mathews Z2 black compound bow from the locked vehicle of a Hughes Road resident. The owner found pry marks where the thief had apparently forced open the vehicle door during the night, Beavers’ report states;

• Deputy Chuck Tucker investigated, also on Feb. 8, the theft of a Peavy Sound System Board and a Dell desk top computer from a church on Shady Grove Road. Church members had found a rear door smashed in, possibly by a sledge hammer, Tucker’s report states;

• Major Albert Perkins investigated the burglary of a house on McClyde Road, Como on Feb. 8. The only items missing were a necklace and three rings, Perkins’ report states. The items were valued at $2,300;

• A vehicle owner who cranked her black Toyota Camry parked at a residence on Sanders Road about 9:30 p.m., February 9 told Investigator Danny Beavers that when she returned about two minutes later the car was gone;

• A man who was seen Feb. 9 throwing parts from a Sardis salvage yard over the surrounding fence was stopped by Sardis Police who held him while Investigator Terry Smith contacted the theft victim. The salvage yard owner identified batteries as having been stolen from his business, and the suspect admitted that he had stolen the batteries, according to Smith’s report. Smith placed the suspect in the Panola county jail;

• Deputy Bill Furness Jr. was called to a Ridge Crest Drive residence in Pope where the victim said that she had returned home about 6:30 p.m. after an absence and found her 25,000 BTU window air conditioner missing. Entry had been made by forcing a back door, Furniss’ report states. There was some damage from apparent vandalism but nothing else was missing, the report states;

• Beavers was called to Courtland on Feb. 10 where he took a complaint from a person who said his girlfriend was using his Social Security number “for her personal gain,” Beavers report states;

• A Vassar Road, Pope resident flagged down Deputy Sheriff George Renfroe Feb. 10 to report that firearm valued at $289 and a 10-year-old mink coat had been stolen from his home. The incident had occurred on Feb. 3, according to the report;

• A resident of Bishop Road near Crenshaw told Deputy Willie Harris on Feb. 11 that someone had come onto her property, “made donuts in her yard, tearing up her lawn,” the report states, stole two saddles and attempted to kick in her door;

• A Liberty Hill Road, Batesville, resident walked into the jail and told Deputy Jason Chrestman that someone had been using her sister’s name to conduct a scam on Facebook. The scam offers dogs for sale and encourages buyers to send a down payment, according to the report. The incident is alleged to have occurred Feb. 1.

Domestic complaints

Officers were called to a residence on Highway 310, east of Como, Feb. 5, where a grandmother reported that her husband had assaulted her and her grandson, Deputy Darius Smith’s report states. Major Albert Perkins and Investigator Edward Dickson assisted Smith in sorting through the melee, according to the report.

Called Feb. 9 to investigate a disturbance on Rockhill Road, Sardis, Deputy Harold Lewis learned that a man and his live-in girlfriend had an altercation during which the man tore up the inside of the house and threw the girlfriend’s clothes outside. 

At the Panola County jail on Feb. 11, Deputy Britton Crawford heard a complaint from a parent whose son was in conflict with another boy whose 22-year-old sister had also become involved. The dispute had been aggravated, according to Britton’s report, by threatening text messages.

A Curtis Road woman who had filed for a divorce from her husband told Investigator Terry Smith that the husband had sent a text messages stating, “she would regret the divorce,” Smith’s report states. The officer noted that no threats of harm were made and that the complainant “wanted something on file.”

Sex crimes

Investigator Bryan Arnold was contacted by Department of Human Services personnel on Feb. 8 in two separate incidents involving alleged sexual assaults to minors that had come to the attention of school personnel. The victims were 10 and 13 years old and were students in different schools. That same day, Arnold took a statutory rape complaint from the parent of a 15-year-old girl who alleged that her daughter had been “sexually active” with a 19-year-old suspect.

Drug investigations

Panola County officers also reported five drug-related incidents, all of which involved vehicles.

Deputy Hailey investigated on Feb. 8 the report of a car parked in the middle of Shady Grove Road about 1:44 a.m. with no lights showing. The driver told Hailey that the car had “went dead on him while he was driving,” the officer’s report states.

Walking around the car, the deputy found debris in the roadway that made him suspicious. Further questioning of the driver led to a search of the car which yielded marijuana.

Deputy Crawford stopped a Ford Explorer with no tag on the Pope/Water Valley Road about 9:30 a.m. Feb. 10. The driver had neither license nor proof of insurance, but from his vehicle wafted the distinct odor of marijuana, according to Crawford’s report. The driver was taken into custody and submitted to a voluntary urinalysis which tested positive for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. The driver was charged with DUI Other.

Lack of tag lights led Deputy Hailey to stop a red Chevrolet truck on Sardis Lake Drive about 9:25 p.m. Feb. 10. The deputy smelled what he described in his report as “a faint odor of marijuana,” according to the report. The miscreant told the officer she had no driver’s licensed due to an unpaid ticket. Hailey was joined by Deputy Josh Griffin. The driver told the officers about a small quantity of marijuana in the car, and she was taken into custody.

Earlier that day, the driver of a Chevrolet truck swerved head-on toward Crawford’s vehicle while he was patrolling in the area of  Henry Heafner Road. The officer chased down the vehicle and soon discovered evidence of what he thought to be Methamphetamine, according to his report. He summoned Panola County Sheriff’s Department Task Force officers who collected evidence and took the driver into custody.

Lt. Willie Harris stopped a car speeding on Nash Road near Dummyline Road about 2 pm. Feb. 11 and discovered that the driver had no license but the passenger had an ID. “When he took his I.D. out he was shaking very badly,” Harris’ report states. “I asked why he was shaking so much. He stated for no reason,” Harris’s report continues.

“I asked him if he had any type of narcotics on him. He stated that he did. He placed his left hand into his pocket and brought out what appeared to be a sandwich bag with a leafy green substance in it.”

Lt. Harris was also called to investigate the only auto accident reported in county jurisdiction during the Feb. 5-12 period. A Courtland resident was driving west on the Pope/Water Valley Road Feb. 10 when a white truck “traveling East came into her lane of traffic and ran her off the road, the vehicle struck her vehicle on the passenger side causing damage to the front passenger headlight,” Harris’ report states. 

Deputy Darryl House went to Gregory Taylor Road, Courtland on February 8 where a vehicle owner said that someone had broken the left driver side window while it was parked in her yard. The victim told House she had no idea of who might have damaged her vehicle.

Deputies are also dispatched about 10 times weekly, sheriff’s administrative aide Robbie Haley said, to assist motorists who have locked themselves out of their vehicles. Those calls for service do not generate the reports, she said. 

Trips by deputies to transport people committed for mental health treatment also do not generate reports. Panola County Chancery Clerk Jim Pitcock said deputies are called about 10 times each month to carry people who have been committed through the Chancery Court for treatment to Tupelo.