Sheriff’s Report: Deputies investigate two shooting incidents within one week

By Ashley Crutcher
The holidays kicked off with chaos this year as two incedents of shots fired were reported to the Panola County Sheriff’s Department last week beginning on Tuesday.
Last Tuesday, November 29 the Sheriff’s Office received a call from a witness driving west on Highway 6 towards Batesville who stated an individual had been shot.
According to the report, the victim was struck by a bullet in his left eye. The witness reported he was driving the victim to Merit Health in Batesville and was in a white GMC truck.
Investigator Terry Smith responded to the hospital and located the witnesses who were in the car during the shooting.
“We were driving on Highway six in the right lane when I heard a noise and the windows shattered,” one witness states in the report.
The witness went on to state the victim was driving and told him that he was shot and the victim proceeded to pull the car over.
According to the report, a witness reported seeing a gold car that appeared to be a Cadillac CTS pass the victims traveling west and then turn into the median and head back towards Oxford.
The witness stated he drove the victim to the hospital in Batesville. The victim was later airlifted to the Med with the bullet lodged in his skull.
Investigator Smith interviewed two passengers in the vehicle when the incident occured.
According to the report, both witnesses stated they were in Oxford. The witnesses stated another passenger was in the car and he had arranged to meet with someone at a shopping plaza.
According to the report, witnesses stated the other passenger had an unknown object under his shirt when he got back into the vehicle after meeting with unknown individuals at the shopping plaza in Oxford.
According to the report, the individuals were stopped by Oxford Police and the passenger fled the scene on foot and was caught with a half pound of marijuanna in his possession. The witnesses and victim were let go and a few minitues later, shots were fired into the vehicle, according to the report. The investigation is ongoing.
Another report of shots fired came from a Kyle Road resident on December 2 who reported he observed a gold Chevy truck parked on his property.
“I saw the truck and parked behind it and when I got out of my vehicle I heard four gunshots,” the resident stated. The resident reported seeing a man walking in his field.
According to the report, the suspect fled into the woods when the resident called out to him. The resident stated he looked in the back of the suspect’s truck and saw his deer stand lying in the bed of the truck.
Deputy Steven McLarty and Lieutenant George Renfroe spoke to the resident who stated the suspect came out of the woods upon their arrival.
Deputy McLarty asked the suspect where he got the deer stand to which he replied stating he found it on Eureka Road.
According to the report, the suspect stated he had to use the restroom and stopped to go in the woods. When questioned about the gunshots the suspect stated he did not have a gun and he heard the shots but did not know who was shooting.
A Fish and Wildlife Officer arrived on the scene and assisted in searching the location of the suspect for firearms.
Deputy McLarty ran the license plate and VIN number to the truck which revealed that the license plate went to a black Chevy truck and the gold Chevy belonged to someone else as well, according to the report.
Further investigation revealed the suspect was unlicensed and a convicted felon.  The Fish and Wildlife officer located the firearm.
Deputy McLarty conducted an inventory search of the vehicle and located a box of Remington 35 Whelen bullets, according to the report.
Deputy McLarty went to the location of the firearm to take pictures and place the gun into evidence and found a fired 35 Whelen shell on the ground, according to the report.
The suspect was advised the gun had been located to which he responded with his head down and stated “okay”, according to the report.
Lieutenant Renfro transported the suspect to the Panola County Jail and all evidence was turned over to Investigator Smith.
The Panola County Sherrif’s Office received 34 other reports from November 17 to December 2 which required service from Panola County Deputies.
November 23
• Deputy Darryl House took a report of theft from an individual who stated his son-in-law stole a 65” flat screen TV from his residence on Highway 6 West.
• Deputy House investigated another incident on Ridgecrest Drive in Pope where the resident reported his son was writing checks from a closed account.
According to the report, the resident stated his son wrote six checks totaling $5,700. The resident stated he stole the checks back in June or July and has not seen him since then.
• Flowers Road, Pope resident reported to Deputy John Still an individual is continuously threatening her via text message.
November 25
• Shiloh Road, Courtland resident reported identity theft to Deputy McLarty.
According to the report, the resident checked his mail and found two bills for him but with a different address on them.
The resident stated one bill was from Fingerhut and the other was from Comenity for $263.07.
The resident stated he has never had these accounts and that his daughter-in-law lives at the address on the bills.
The resident stated he wanted to make a report to dispute the bills.
• Deputy McLarty responded to Randel Road, Courtland for a report of a damaged truck.
According to the report, the resident stated the truck was fine the night before but when he walked outside the next morning he noticed the damage to his white Ford F-150.
According to the repoort, both tail lights and the passenger side head light was busted out.
• Sardis Lake Drive resident reported to Lieutenant Renfroe his neighbor’s pit bull came onto his front porch and attacked his dog.
November 26
• Midvalley Boulevard, Pope resident reported to Deputy McLarty his school bus which was parked in his front yard had some windows busted out.
According to the report, the windshield along with the door window was busted out. “I observed what appeared to be four wheeler tracks leading from the bus onto the dirt road.
I observed a large rock on the ground in front of the bus,” stated Deputy McLarty.
The resident stated he had been having problems with two students, according to the report. Deputy McLarty followed the tracks back to the students residence.
According to the report, the juveniles stated they rode by the bus but did not go onto the bus driver’s property.
According to the report, the repair will cost approximately $600.
• Highway 51 North, Sardis resident reported to Deputy Steven Moore and individual borrowed his red Pontiac Vibe and promised to return the vehicle the next morning.
According to the report, after the car was not returned the owner attempted to call the individual with no success.
The resident stated he wanted to press charges for joyriding on the individual.
Deputy Moore placed a “be on the look out” for the vehicle and attempted to locate the individual at her known address in Batesville but was unable to make contact.
November 27
• Deputy Moore was dispatched to Merit Health in reference to a dog bite.
Upon arrival Deputy Moore spoke with the victim who stated he was at an unknown address on Henderson Road trying to breed one of his pit bulls when the dog bit him on the hand.
• Deputy Harold Lewis responded to Oak View Drive in reference to some appliances being taken from the residence.
Upon arrival, Deputy Lewis spoke with an individual who reported her mother passed away a few days ago.
According to the report, the individual stated her uncle wanted her to move her mother’s belongings out of the residence.
The uncle called the Sheriff’s Department and stated he owned the house and that he instructed his niece not to take the appliances.
According to the report, no appliances were taken.
November 28
• Deputy Lewis spoke to an Alonzo Gipson Road, Sardis resident who stated someone entered her residence through a front window near the door.
According to the report, the glass was already broke from the last break-in. The resident stated three pairs of Jordans belonging to her son were taken from the residence.
• Crouch Road resident reported to Investigator Bryan Arnold a shotgun was stolen from her residence.
According to the report, the residents went out of town for Thanksgiving and locked their bedroom door where the guns were located.
The resident stated she told her daughter not to have anyone at the house while she and her husband were gone.
According to the report, when the residents returned she found her bedroom door had been broken open and a shotgun was missing.
• Deputy Josh Griffin responded to Sardis Lake Drive in reference to a man attempting to steal a four wheeler.
The resident stated his friend observed two male subjects under the car port and one of the men sitting on the four wheeler.
The resident stated his friend pulled into the driveway and one of the subjects ran out of the back carport door toward Northwood Drive directly behind the residence.
Deputy Griffin made contact with the suspect who was a juvenile. According to the report, the juvenile stated to Deputy Tripp Williams he and his friend were attempting to steal the four wheeler but got spooked and they both ran separate ways.
Deputy Williams picked up the other suspect and brought him to the scene. The resident stated three of his hunting dogs were let loose during the incident.
The juvenile was released to his father and the other suspect was taken to the Panola County Jail.
November 29
• A business owner reported to Investigator Arnold an employee has been stealing from him.
According to the report, the owner noticed items missing shortly after the suspect began working for the owner.
The owner went to the employees residence and noticed a computer and laptop that had been reported missing.
According to the report, the owner took pictures of the items and set up a video camera at his business.
The owner managed to capture footage of the employee stealing items from the business, according to the report.
The owner confronted the suspect and the suspect returned the stolen items.
• Lieutenant Chuck Tucker was dispatched to Central Academy Road, Sardis in reference to a disturbance.
The resident stated he received a call stating his ex-girlfriend busted the window out on the front of his house.
The resident reported he recently broke up with the suspect.
November 30
• Deputy Emily Griffin responded to Coles Point Road in reference to a disturbance. The resident reported his step son was threatening to do bodily harm to himself.
According to the report, the resident stated his step son shot through his door. The resident stated he took all of the guns from his step son’s residence except for one he had on his person.
Deputy Jeff Still and Deputy Maurice Market accompanied Deputy Griffin to the residence. The resident stated he did not want to press charges, but wanted to get him some help.
The step son was transported to Merit Health Emergency Room by MedStat.
• Investigator Danny Beavers spoke to a victim of assault who reported she was at her aunt’s house on Tom Floyd Road, Como where she asked her aunt to pay her back $25 that she had previously borrowed from her.
According to the report, the victim stated her aunt became angry after she asked for the money and began yelling and cursing at her.
“My momma doesn’t have to pay you anything,” stated a cousin to the victim. “Just forget about the money,” the victim responded, according to the report.
The victim stated her aunt told her to leave and as she attempted to leave her aunt’s boyfriend hit her in the face, according to the report.
Another individual attempted to break up the fight and even tried to spray the suspect with mace but accidently sprayed his 23-year-old daughter. The suspect then attacked the individual as well as the victim’s children, who are 7 and 9-years-old.
According to the report, the victim stated her glasses were knocked off of her face and her money, $105, fell out of her pocket, which she was unable to retrieve.
The victim stated as they were trying to leave the suspect began throwing metal and wood objects at the car.
According to the report, the car was hit by a wood plank which made a dent in the rear end of the vehicle.
• Macedonia Road resident stated an unknown individual stole two guns, $250 and a scope from his vehicle.
According to the report, the total amount of theft is $4,000.
• Old Panola Road, Sardis resident reported to Lieutenant Renfroe a known individual stole a half a gallon of coins, some jewelry, checks and a brief case.
• Oak Grove, Sardis resident reported to Investigator Beavers she received a call from her bank stating that an individual was attempting to hack her account by using her name and social security number.
According to the report, no transactions were made from the account.
• Lieutenant Renfroe spoke to a Highway 35 North resident who stated the suspect came to her residence cursing and yelling and knocked a hole in the side of the residence with a metal pole.
According to the report, the pole stuck through both the outside and inside wall of the home.
The resident stated she only wanted the suspect to pay for repairs and to not return to the residence.
According to the report, after Lieutenant Renfroe spoke to the suspect he agreed and left the property.
December 1
• Deputy McLarty received a report of an intoxicated female and responded to Sanders Road.
“Upon arrival I observed the suspect walking on Sanders Road,” stated Deputy McLarty.
According to the report, serveral residents stated the suspect was knocking on front doors asking to use the restroom and for a ride home.
The suspect confirmed she was knocking on doors to ask if she could use the restroom and if the residents would give her a ride home, according to the report.
Deputy McLarty states in the report the suspect was unsteady on her feet, had bloodshot eyes, and had a strong smell of an intoxicating beverage coming from her person.
The suspect was placed under arrest and transported to the Panola County Jail.
December 2
• Sycamore Road, Pope resident stated her son got on the bus Wednesday to go to church and that was the last time she saw him.
The resident stated the child supposedly left church with some other boys and girls.
According to the report, the child has a cell phone but has not been answering it.
Motor Vehicle Incident Report
November 17
• Vehicle lost control and hit a ditch on Old Panola Road.
• Car hit a deer on Enid Dam Road.
November 18
• Two vehicles backed into each other at Dollar General on Highway 6.
November 22
• Vehicle backed onto Atkins Road and struck another vehicle.
November 23
• Car hit a deer on Figg Road.
• Vehicle lost control on Belmont Road.
November 24
• Vehicle backed into another vehicle on private property.
November 26
• Car struck a deer on Barnacre Road.
November 28
• Vehicle backed into another vehicle on private property.
November 29
• Car hydroplaned on Tom Floyd Road.
• Another car hydroplaned on Belmont Road.
No injuries were reported.