Tag Archive for: New Albany Police Department (NAPD)

Teen driver leads New Albany Police, Union Co. Sheriffs and MS Highway Patrol officers on 100 mph chase

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NEMiss.News Joyriding in mom's car

 

Two Union County children escaped serious injury when they led local law officers on a high speed chase Tuesday night, Feb 21.

A New Albany Police Department (NAPD) in routine patrol on West Bankhead St. spotted a Toyota Avalon with a headlight out, a moving violation, about 11 p.m. Tuesday evening. When the officer tried to stop the vehicle, it failed to stop and turned east onto Sam T. Barkley Drive. The officer gave chase as the vehicle fled down Sam T. Barkley, then turned south on Highway 15 at speeds up to 100 mph.

The officer did not know at that time was that the car was being driven by a 14-year-old boy, who had a 15 year old boy with him.

The Union County Sheriff’s office and the Mississippi Highway Patrol joined the chase.

The driver turned east from Highway 15 onto Highway 348.

The car with the two teens was ultimately stopped on Hwy 348 when officers deployed tire-puncturing spikes on the roadway. A New Albany Department vehicle was damaged when the fleeing car was finally stopped.

New Albany Police Chief Chris Robertson said there were no injuries to police officers and no apparent injuries to the two boys.

The children were turned over to their parents. It turns out that the Toyota belonged to the stepmother of one of the boys.

The boys will be charged in juvenile court.

“This was a very dangerous incident,” said New Albany Police Chief Chris Robertson. “We’re just glad that no police officers and neither of the children involved in this event were injured.”

Not to mention any uninvolved motorists or pedestrians who could easily have met with misfortune on that night.

 

Please share any thoughts, comments or questions in the Comments section below!

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Alert citizen leads to burglary arrest

NEMiss.News Burglary suspect Johnson

 

A burglary at Brown’s Automotive on West Bankhead St. in New Albany was resolved because of information from an alert citizen.

Someone broke into the business last Sunday night, February 19, and reportedly vandalized an automobile inside the shop building. Several items were also reported removed from the building.

An alert citizen reported having seen Tyler Zane Johnson, age 19, hanging about the premises Sunday night, during the hours the break in occurred. Officers of the New Albany Police Department (NAPD)) then questioned Johnson, who lives nearby. Johnson admitted to the break in.

He was arrested and has been charged with burglary of a commercial establishment. Bond was set at $10,000.

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NAPD makes arrests in counterfeiting operation; alert retail clerk tips police

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NEMiss.News Couple arrested for counterfeiting.

 

Arrests have been made in a significant counterfeiting operation in northeast Mississippi. The key tip came from an alert retail clerk at Union Grocery and Supply Company (formerly Stokes) in New Albany, Wednesday evening, Feb 22.

A man and a female accomplice entered the store about 8 o’clock Wednesday and tried to cash one or more payroll checks. The clerk carefully examined the check and the identification of the person seeking to cash the check. The clerk suspected the authenticity of the documents and called police.

Officers of the New Albany Police Department (NAPD) arrived moments later and took into custody:

  • Stevie Lynn Pace, age 40, a white male who used the alias “Michael Moore.” Pace is believed to have lived previously in Mendenhall.
  • Carrisa Elizabeth Moore, age 37, a white female who used the alias “Kari Janet Sisk.” She is believed to be from the Booneville area.
NEMiss.News Counterfeit items seized in New Albany MS

Counterfeit items seized by New Albany Police Dept.

NAPD officers found that Pace and Moore were in possession of several thousand dollars in U.S. currency. They also had about $400 in counterfeit U.S. currency. The pair had 70 forged payroll checks. Most of the phony payroll checks were on Ashley, a furniture manufacturer located in Ecru.

NAPD Chief Chris Robertson said Pace and Moore would be arraigned before a judge Thursday evening. Robertson said charges would include uttering a forgery and possession of counterfeit U.S. currency.

Chief Robertson said he believed it likely that other businesses here and in nearby counties may already have been victims of the pair. He cautioned all retailers, banks, etc. to be alert to forged checks.

The chief said NAPD had already been contacted by Corinth law enforcement officials Thursday afternoon and believes Corinth may have a case against the pair arrested in New Albany.

 

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Two released from Union County jail, arrested for robbery later the same day

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NEMiss.News Suspects arrested for convenience store robbery

Two men enjoyed less than a full day of freedom after being released from the Union County Jail on Monday, Jan. 25.

New Albany police officers arrested Jack Clyde Emrick, age 33, and David Wayne Renfrow, age 47, who are accused in connection with the robbery of the Shell convenience store on Highway 30 West at about 9:30 Monday evening.

Police say Emrick entered the store sometime after 9 p.m. and told the clerk “this is a holdup.”  No weapon was actually displayed, but the clerk said Emrick pointed a finger from under his clothing indicating he had a handgun. The clerk handed over an undisclosed amount of cash from the cash register.

New Albany Police Chief Chris Robertson said Renfrow met Emrick after the “holdup, and they divided the money between them. Robertson said Emrick is charged with strong-arm robbery, and Renfrow is charged as accessory after the fact.

Emrick and Renfrow apparently spent part of the money a short while after the holdup at another story nearby. Based on facts determined by the investigation, law enforcement officers located the pair in the area of Starlyn Drive and arrested them about midnight.

The pair had been released from jail earlier in the day, having been charged with other crimes.

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New Albany police investigate “card skimmer” on local gasoline pump

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NEMiss.News Fraudulent card skimmer

 

 

The New Albany Police Department is investigating a possible card skimmer that was discovered by a customer at one of the local gas station pumps. According to Police Chief Chris Robertson, this is the first incident like this for over a year.

Unfortunately, this issue has become all too familiar for individuals like me, who had my card cloned and used to buy groceries, flatscreen TVs from Walmart, and even pay light bills. After reporting the crime both to the bank and police department, I was able to recover some of the money. But due to proximity it became hard to prove that I did not give my card away willingly, as I frequently shop in the area where the card was used fraudulently. The criminals still managed to gain access to around $2,000 within two days, before anyone noticed anything suspicious on my account balance statement.

Forbes Magazine offers this advice for spotting a card skimmer on a gasoline pump:

“Although skimmers can be hard to spot, it’s possible to identify a skimming device by doing a visual and physical inspection.

“Before using an ATM or gas pump, check for alignment issues between the card reader and the panel underneath it. Skimmers are often placed on top of the actual card reader making it stick out at an odd angle or cover arrows in a panel. Compare the card reader to others at a neighboring ATM or gas pump and look out for any differences.

“Gas pumps should have a security tape or sticker over the cabinet panel. If the tape looks ripped or broken, avoid using the card reader, because a thief may have tampered with it. Try looking inside the card reader to see if anything is already inserted—if there is, it may be a thin plastic circuit board that can steal card information.

“A physical inspection of a card reader and keypad can often reveal fraudulent devices. Feel around the reader and try to wiggle it to see if it can easily come out of place. 

“Authentic card readers are robustly manufactured, meaning if any part of the card reader can easily move around, then it’s probably been installed illegally by a thief. If the buttons on an ATM’s keypad are too hard to push, don’t use that ATM and try another one.”

As Chief Robertson stresses: “Pay attention your surroundings, pay attention who’s watching you; just pay attention when it comes down using your card at gas pump or retail stores.”

Report any suspicious devices to the store itself and to local law enforcement.

 

–Kendall Stancil

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NALGW open for business Tuesday, Dec. 27, in new location

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NEMiss.News new NALGW building on Main St. opens 12-27-2022

 

New Albany Lights, Gas, and Water (NALGW), the city-owned utility company, is open today at its new headquarters on Main Street.

The New Albany Police Department is expected to move into its new quarters on the east side of the same building early in the coming year.

It took a little more than three years from concept to reality, but the city’s elected leaders and the management of NALGW brought it all together.

NEMiss.News NALGW sign on new building

NALGW sign on new headquarters building on Main St.

When the Fred’s retail chain went bankrupt in 2019, Mayor Tim Kent made an offer to the federal bankruptcy court for the 17,000 square foot building. The offer was rejected, and the court sold the building and several other former Fred’s properties to a single buyer. Then the city was able to buy it from that new owner for $600,000, less than its appraised value.

The plan was to house both NALGW and the city police department in the same building.

Once the real estate deal was closed, the job of converting the old Fred’s building into a new municipal complex was turned over to NALGW Manager Bill Mattox.

There were some snags, including an original architect’s estimate that was more than the city was willing to spend. Another huge factor was the radical increase in the costs of most building materials, which was blamed on the COVID pandemic. The first bids from contractors were rejected as too high.

Mattox and the Mayor worked with the architect to reduce the cost, and the work was finally awarded to Roberts Builders, Inc., a general construction company based in Ripley.

Bill Mattox told NEMiss.News on November 22, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, that he thought there was a good chance NALGW could move into the new building on Main Street before the end of the year.

He got it done. NALGW occupies their new quarters as of Dec. 27. Mattox told NEMiss.News Monday evening, December 26, “We plan to open at 8 am. I’m sure there will be some bumps in the road throughout the day, but I think we’re about as ready as we can be at this point.”

Mattox has built a reputation as the “make it happen guy” in New Albany. Mattox, Mayor Kent and the Board of Aldermen deserve commendation for having the vision and drive that made this nice new municipal building a reality.

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UPDATED, Monday afternoon, Dec 12: Gunman arrested at New Albany Walmart Sunday afternoon

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NEMiss.News Arrest of gunman at New Albany Walmart

UPDATE, Monday afternoon, Dec. 12: Charges against Roger H. Struble have been upgraded to attempted aggravated assault, a felony. Bond has been set at $15,000. Struble remains in jail as of 6 p.m. Monday.  Struble was arrested Sunday afternoon after he displayed a firearm during an argument at the New Albany Walmart. 

 

At 4:29 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, the alarm went out instantly all over New Albany – police radios, social media, numerous cell phone calls to 911, etc:

“Gunman at Walmart!” “Shots fired at Walmart!”

Uniformed officers of the New Albany Police Department and Union County Sheriff’s Officers arrived and made entry with drawn guns at the Walmart Store about 60 seconds later.

NEMiss.News Benton Co. Sheriff Goolsby

Benton Co. Sheriff Robby Goolsby acted quickly to avert a possible tragedy.

However, a single lawman, a visitor from a nearby county, already had the situation under control when local officers arrived.

Sheriff Robby Goolsby, elected sheriff of Benton County in 2019, was shopping in the New Albany Walmart when he became aware of an altercation at one of the check-out lanes. Goolsby quickly worked his way toward the ruckus.

He observed a man with a semi-automatic pistol, which he had apparently taken from a holster inside the waistband of his trousers. Goolsby aimed his own handgun at the man and demanded that he drop the weapon. Goolsby was able to take the gun from the man before any shots were fired.

New Albany Police officers arrived and immediately placed Roger H. Struble, age 40, under arrest. Struble is 6 ft., 9 inches tall.

Struble gave officers a current address in Hickory Flat. New Albany Police Chief Chris Robertson said it is his understanding that Struble had moved to north Mississippi from the northeastern part of the United States in the recent past.

Robertson said Struble told officers that the other man involved in the argument had pulled a knife on him, but officers could find no evidence of a knife.

Struble will be held at least overnight in the Union County jail. The office of District Attorney Ben Creekmore will determine tomorrow what charges may be filed against Struble.

NEMiss.News Local law officers arrest gunman at Walmart

Local officers placed gunman under arrest at New Albany Walmart

Chief Robertson said he wanted to thank and commend Benton County Sheriff Goolsby for taking quick and decisive action to put a speedy end to what could have be a tragic situation.

No shots were fired. No one was injured.

Kendall C. Stancil of Kenny S Studio took the photograph of Struble being arrested that appears at the top of this story.

 

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New Albany’s new Municipal Complex nearly ready for occupancy

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NEMiss.News New Albany Municipal Building nears completion

 

 

The new Municipal Complex in downtown New Albany is nearly complete, and part of it may be occupied before the end of the year.

The Municipal Complex will be occupied by the city-owned New Albany Lights, Gas, and Water (NALGW) and by the New Albany Police Department (NAPD).

NEMiss.News Carter St. entry of Municipal Building

The entrance to the New Albany Police Department will be on the Carter Avenue side of the Municipal Complex.

The entrance to NALGW will be on the Main Street (north) side of the building.

The NAPD entrance will be on the Carter Avenue (east) side of the structure.

NALGW General Manager Bill Mattox told NEMiss.News Tuesday, Nov. 22, that exterior work on the parking area will be among the last items to be finished. Interior work is substantially complete.

Mattox said he expects both NALGW and NAPD will occupy their new quarters early in the coming year. NALGW may actually be able to move in before the end of December.

The 17,000 square-foot building was formerly occupied by the Fred’s retail store. It became available when the Fred’s store chain went bankrupt in 2019. The City of New Albany acquired the building and its surrounding parking area for $600,000.

Costs for the renovation are expected to total something over three million dollars.

NEMiss.News Bobcats at work at Municipal Building

Workers were busy Monday removing old asphalt paving in preparation for installing the new parking area on the north side of the building.

The extensively renovated building is owned by NALGW. NALGW will lease back to the city the portion of the structure that will be occupied by the police department.

NALGW is governed by the New Albany Board of Aldermen and is subject to the regulations of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which is also the supplier of the city’s electricity.

 

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Was it a riot or a parade?

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NEMiss.News Police escort

 

Eighteen or 20 law enforcement vehicles went blazing by Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County late Wednesday night.

It was 10 p.m. There were both Union County Sheriff’s Office and New Albany Police Department cars almost bumper-to-bumper. Blue lights flashing and sirens wailing. A major crime in New Albany? A  post-election brawl between Trumpers and anti-Trumpers?

Then, about midway of the parade, a big yellow school bus roaring along, keeping pace with all the police cruisers.

Down the hill on Highway 30 then turning east on Highway 178 (Bankhead) Street, police cars and a school bus making a racket speeding through sleepy downtown New Albany late on a weekday night.

Here’s what was the big deal:
Earlier in the day Wednesday, two East Union High School teams had won the state MHSAA 2A championship in long distance running. Both the girls’ team and the boys’ team had won their state championship.

The winning endurance runners from the East Union teams were on the yellow bus and enjoying a major police escort as they headed back east to their school near Blue Springs.

The two East Union state championships were actually the second and third of the week for Union County endurance runners. The West  Union boys won the state 1A long distance championship two days earlier on Monday, Nov. 7.

The Ingomar School volley ball team team won its championship last month.

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Omarian Green charged with felony for Friday evening gunfire

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NEMiss.News Omarian Green in custody

 

Omarian Green, age 18, remains in the Union County jail and is charged with shooting a firearm into an occupied dwelling.

Responding to a report of gunfire, New Albany Police Department (NAPD) officers went to the Hallmarc Inn, 304 Highway 30 West, shortly before 6 pm, Friday, November 4. They found Green, who was in possession of a handgun that had been recently fired. They immediately relieved him of the weapon. Green told police officers the gun had been fired “accidentally.” He also told officers he was 17 years old.

Officers found that the gun had been fired from a motel room and the projectile had gone through the wall and into the room next door, which was occupied.

Upon further investigation NAPD officers learned that Green is, in fact, well past his 18th birthday, meaning he is an adult under Mississippi criminal codes. He had apparently deceived officer about his age in the hope of being treated as a juvenile and processed by the state’s juvenile offender system.

Investigators found that Green was already under criminal indictment for breaking into a motor vehicle and stealing a handgun. He was out on bond on the prior charge. The gun he fired Friday evening is not the same one he stole from the car earlier.

NAPD Chief Chris Robertson told NEMiss.News late Monday afternoon that the district attorney’s office “has a hold on Green until they can get him in front of a judge to have his bond revoked” on the earlier theft charge. Robertson made one point clear:  “We will deal with firearms incidents, gunplay of any kind in the City of New Albany, swiftly and harshly.”

It is expected the DA’s office will take Green before a judge within a few days. Shooting into an occupied dwelling is a felony punishable by up to ten years in prison under Mississippi Code 97-37-29.

 

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Two car wreck in New Albany early Saturday evening sends injured to hospital

NEMiss.News Two car wreck on HWY 15 bridge in New Albany

 

 

A two-car collision near the intersection of Highway 15 and Highway178 (Bankhead St.) sent one or more injury victims to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County Saturday evening.

The extent of the injuries was not known as this was written, but a public safety official told NEMiss.News there was at least one serious head injury.

NEMiss.News Wreck on Hwy 15 near Bankhead intersection

Hwy. 15 wreck blocked traffic in all directions for about 1 hour, 9-24-2022.

One victim was reported trapped in the vehicle. The Rescue One unit of the New Albany Fire Department dealt with the entrapment.

Three ambulances from Baptist Hospital attended the injured.

The accident occurred shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, perhaps 15 minutes after sunset, which was at 6:48 p.m.

From what could be observed at the scene, the two vehicles came to rest about one hundred yards north of the Highway 15/Highway 178 intersection and about the same distance south of the Highway 15/Highway 348 intersection.

An investigation by the New Albany Police Department (NAPD) may reveal how the two cars collided that far from any intersection.

Traffic was backed up for more than an hour in all directions from the busy Highway 15/Highway 178 traffic signal.

NAPD was the primary law enforcement agency on the scene. There were also units from the Union County Sheriff’s Office and Mississippi Highway Patrol.

More details will be published here if and when they are available.

 

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New Albany Board rejects bid for work on tennis courts

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NEMiss.News Ray Farris at City Board meeting

 

 

A hearing about next year’s city budget and condemning a dilapidated house were among the items before New Albany Board of Aldermen on September 6.

The budget hearing was sort of a non-event in that no aldermen and no one else in the room had any comment or questions. The board unanimously approved the budget at the end of its Tuesday evening. NEMiss.News will publish more detail about the budget in coming days.

Next on the agenda was a property hearing.

A man faced with having his house condemned and torn down, tried to explain his situation to the New Albany Board of Aldermen.

NEMiss.News Farris property on S. Central Ave.

Farris property on S. Central Avenue.

Ray E. Farris told the board that lawful title to the property at 1300 South Central Avenue was a tangle of legal issues. He said he thought he was to inherit the property under the terms of the will of his late mother.

However, Farris said he does not have a clear title to the property. While the exact nature of the snarled ownership did not become clear Tuesday evening, Farris implied that part of the problem was a lack of cooperation from relatives, who may also claim some ownership interest.

Code Enforcement Officer Eric Thomas told the aldermen that the Farris property is not “fit for human habitation.” He said the house is so dilapidated that it would cost more to fix it that it would be worth.

Farris agreed the house was in bad shape, but said, “All it needs is new floor and a new roof.” He said he was actually living in a garage attached to the house and had been paying the annual property taxes out of his pocket.

Code Officer Thomas said he had been working to get something done about the house since 2017, and all possible owners he knew of had received legal notification that the city would move to condemn and demolish the property.

The board voted to give Ray Farris one more month to make progress on fixing the problems with the house, However, he was told the board would act to condemn the property at its October 4 meeting if no significant progress had been made.

Other business before the Board included:

  • Builder and developer Terry Young told the board he was moving forward with plans for Albany West, a planned community he intends to build on property west of Park Plaza Drive. Young said he expects to present the completed plans for Albany West to the board at its November meeting.
  • Bill Mattox, manager of the city owned New Albany Lights, Gas and Water (NALGW), asked the board to approve a payment for work on the renovated NALGW building to Roberts Construction for $208,650. The board approved that payment.
  • Another payment for $56,430 to Eubank Construction for work on the Moss Hill Drive Pumping Station was approved.
  • Police Chief Robertson asked the board to approve spending $130,666 for furniture for the new police department headquarters, to be located in the old Fred’s Building being renovated by NALGW. The board approved the request for the furniture, which will be purchased under the state contract.
  • The board had asked for bids work to resurface the tennis courts at the tennis complex. The city received only one bid, which was 32% higher than the estimates provide by the city’s consulting engineer. That bid was rejected and another request for bids will be sent out.

The next regular meeting of the New Albany city board will be at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 4.

 

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