Published: April 13, 2009 09:54 pm      

Suspect at large after striking OPD car with stolen vehicle

By Debby Schamber

The Orange Leader



After striking an Orange Police officer’s vehicle, the driver of a reported stolen vehicle drove head-on toward another officer before swerving and missing him. The suspect later abandoned the vehicle and remains at large.

According to reports from the Orange Police Department, officers were dispatched about 12:30 a.m. Friday to the 3600 block of Hemlock Street in reference to a vehicle disturbance. They were informed of a white Suzuki SUV racing up and down the street. A check on the license plate revealed it was stolen out of Sulphur, La.

The suspect was not in the area at the time; however, the officers quickly spotted the vehicle driving behind an officer at the scene. As the officer passed, the suspect vehicle slowly approached the area. Officer Tim Pruitt saw it was the same vehicle they were searching for and drew his weapon. He then approached the vehicle. However, instead the vehicle increased its speed and continued on the roadway. Pruitt informed Capt. Charles Stephenson over the radio the suspect was behind him. The suspect then attempted to pass the patrol car on the right side by riding over the curb.

As Stephenson increased his speed in order to get ahead, the suspect swerved left toward the road and collided into the front, right corner of the officer’s patrol car, according to reports.

The suspect continued throughout the neighborhood. Pruitt quickly ran back to his vehicle and made his way to Kenwood Street. As he rounded onto Kenwood, the suspect’s vehicle reportedly came towards him at a high rate of speed.

Pruitt came to a stop in the middle of the road. The suspect then went around the officer and allegedly went through the corner lot at Kenwood and Hawthorne Streets.

The officers lost sight of the vehicle as it turned west onto Ridgemont Street. During a search of the area, Stephenson located the vehicle parked in the front yard of 3608 Ridgemont. The engine was still running and the suspect left the driver’s door open and had fled the scene. Other officers assisted in searching for the suspect, but were unable to locate him, according to reports.



Man chokes to death

A Buna man was rushed by ambulance to Memorial Hermann Baptist-Orange Hospital after he collapsed at his residence.

According to reports, Noble Hinton, 60, was eating about 9:50 p.m. Thursday when he choked on a piece of meat. When another guest attempted to clear his airway, the piece of meat came out but Hinton collapsed, according to reports.

Emergency personnel were called and he was transported to the hospital. However, when he arrived he was reportedly unresponsive. He was later pronounced dead, according to reports.

Precinct 2 Judge Derry Dunn has ordered an autopsy.



MySpace message leads to arrest

A posted message on MySpace led to a disturbance about 1:40 p.m. Friday in the 300 block of Bridal Wreath which involved several juveniles and two adults.

According to reports, a 32-year-old Orange woman took her daughter and several other juveniles to the residence. The daughter got out of the vehicle to speak to boy standing in the front yard. He was allegedly supposed to apologize to her about the posting on MySpace.

The officer concluded after speaking to witnesses, the daughter then punched the boy in the face. The juveniles who were in the vehicle, then got out and began assaulting the boy as well. The boy was unable to defend himself against all of them and fell to the ground. The boy also reported while he laid on the ground, he was kicked in the face by the woman.

According to reports, the father of the boy came outside from his home and tried to stop the fight. During his attempt, he was struck in the face with a baseball bat by the woman.

The officer also wrote in his reports, he discovered one the juveniles also allegedly displayed a firearm and pointed it at several people.

An officer at the scene, reportedly located the gun and bat inside the woman’s vehicle. Witnesses at the scene, reported to police the woman was swinging the bat around wildly and struck the father.

The woman, Clarice White, was taken into custody and transported to the Orange County Jail. She was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.



Debby Schamber is a reporter for the Orange Leader. She can be reached at 409-883-3571 ext. 2603 or at dschamber@orangeleader.com.