Deputies investigate several incidents
Published 5:32 pm Tuesday, February 26, 2008
The Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department worked a stabbing incident that allegedly sprouted from a domestic dispute along with a number of other incidents over the past weekend.
There also were a number of burglaries, an attempted burglary, a stolen but recovered vehicle, and two incidents involving the same calling card.
The stabbing occurred Saturday, as three people were driving home, apparently from a party they attended in Picayune. During that ride, in the 1000 block of West Union Road, a domestic dispute broke out between Aaron Ellis, 37, of Saucier and Bridget Smith, 45, also of Saucier, at about 4:30 a.m., said Chief Investigator Shane Tucker. Ellis allegedly assaulted Smith while she was driving.
Smith stopped the vehicle and the assault continued along the road side. Tucker said at that time Smith’s brother, Johnny Seals, 47, who was visiting from Tennessee, stepped out of the back seat of the vehicle to help his sister.
When Seals confronted Ellis, he turned his attention to Seals, brandishing a small pole from the back of the truck that is used for flagging cars during road work, Tucker said. Seals warned Ellis that he had a knife, but the tussle ensued in spite of the warning. During the fight, Ellis was stabbed one time in the chest.
Ellis was taken to Forrest General Hospital for treatment of his wounds, which Tucker said appeared to be non-life threatening. Smith was taken to Highland Community Hospital for treatment of her wounds, Tucker said.
Tucker said no charges have been filed at this time in the case, which will be referred to the grand jury.
In two incidents, a suspect or suspects in a residential burglary and a trespassing left similar evidence.
Both took place on Adams Warren Road in Poplarville. The first one reported by the homeowner apparently occurred sometime between Feb. 22, after 7 p.m., and Feb. 23, before 1 p.m., when someone broke into the home while the homeowner was away. The lock appeared to have been compromised using a credit card and the homeowner found four bottles of beer were missing, Tucker said. The homeowner also stated in the report that someone appeared to have vomited in the residence.
The second incident, on the same road, involved an unlocked shed on property adjacent to where the residential burglary occurred, and which probably took place between Feb. 22, after 8 p.m., and Feb. 23, before 9:30 a.m. The property owner reported someone appeared to have trespassed in the shed while the owner was away, Tucker said. Apparently the property owner found the shed in a state of disarray with a strong odor of marijuana and empty beer containers strewn inside. Inside the shed it also appeared someone had vomited.
In another incident, a 1999 Hyundai Elantra was reported missing at about 10 p.m. Sunday from Roy Street in Picayune. The car was recovered in a ditch at about 2 a.m. Monday by the Slidell, La., Police Department, Tucker said. Officers don’t have a suspect in the case.
Another incident involved the robbery of a home on Tripp Lane, sometime between Sunday, Feb. 17, and this past Saturday while the residents were away. During that time the home was burglarized and a collection of very old Matchbox toy cars, valued at $2,500, and about $2,400 in jewelry were taken, Tucker said. Officers don’t have any suspects the case.
The last incident involved an attempted burglary at about 1 a.m. Sunday on Fred Johnson Road. At that time someone in a red shirt appeared to be prying open the door of a residence while the occupant was at home. For some reason the suspect ceased the attempt at gaining entry and left the scene. Tucker said he is unsure why the suspect left the scene but speculates that the suspect could have heard the homeowner walking inside the home. The victim was unable to provide deputies with a physical description of the suspect but did recall a loud, white truck leaving the scene.
Any information about the unsolved cases can be directed to the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department at 601-403-2500.