By John Howell Sr.
Batesville police interrupted a home burglary in progress Saturday and arrested the suspect after an officer chased him on foot across Interstate 55.

Police Detective Sergeant Jeremiah Brown said that an occupant of the Dogwood Heights home called police about 1:20 p.m. when he was awakened by someone kicking in the front door.

When police arrived the occupant told them, “’As far as I know, he’s still inside,’” the occupant told BPD Lieutenant Ruby Myers when she arrived. The officer found the suspect in the living room and ordered him to the floor, Brown said. As she was placing him in handcuffs, the suspect bolted and ran out the front door as Officer Brandon Moses arrived.

“Moses jumped out of his car and gave chase,” the police spokesman continued. The officer pursued the suspect about 200 yards to the interstate and then across the interstate where he tackled him on the east shoulder.

Officers charged Terry Joe Potts with the burglary of a dwelling.

When he was searched, police found prescription medication that belong to the homeowner and cigarettes that belonged to the occupant who had been inside the home at the time of the break-in.

“He’s been in the system, he didn’t want to give a statement,” Brown said. “I contacted his parole officer and they’re going to revoke him.”

Brown said Potts told him he had been smoking crack for two days. “I don’t feel good,” Brown said Potts told him.

In other weekend police activity, officers charged Jerry Don Blackerby with public drunkenness after they were called to the Tavern Friday night. “On officer’s arrival they viewed a subject that was being held back to keep him from causing a fight,” Patrolman Justin Maples’ report stated.

Shortly after midnight Saturday morning, officers responded to “a call of a physical disturbance on the Zaxby’s parking lot,” according to the occurrence report, also by Maples. They found two juveniles, took them both into custody and later released them to their families after a referral to the juvenile court.

When Police Sergeant Michael Hardin stopped a vehicle for no tag on Armstrong Street Saturday night, he searched a passenger who poured suspicious contents from a bottle. The passenger, Derrick Brown, was charged with possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle after a pat down search revealed a bag of marijuana hidden in his pants leg, the officer’s report states.

Gearmee Cordell Davis and Joshua Marshar Lathon were arrested in unrelated incidents and charged with domestic violence, simple assault.

David Glen Burns, Amy O’Neal Shaw and Nathan Len Freemen were arrested in unrelated incidents for contempt of court. Kathrine Bright was arrested May 2 on a traffic stop for a warrant from DeSoto County, Patrolman Scott Cagle’s report stated.