Felony theft finds warrant suspect
Published 4:26 pm Wednesday, January 11, 2012
A suspect arrested for the theft of a vehicle also was charged on a number of warrants for various crimes.
Picayune Police were called by the car theft victim Sunday afternoon, after the suspect, 20-year-old Alex Cornelius Cooper, allegedly took her car. Capt. Chad Dorn said when officers arrived they were told by the female victim that Cooper showed up at her house that day in an intoxicated state.
The victim asked Cooper to leave due to his state of mind, but when she was leaving her house a short time later, she saw what appeared to be headlights backing out of her driveway and then heard a loud crash. Dorn said the victim then noticed it was her vehicle being backed out of the driveway by Cooper. Dorn said Cooper drove the car into a nearby ditch. After the crash, the victim told officers Cooper got out of the car and fled on foot to his home at 709 Telly Rd, Apt. 2B. However, police reports indicate that when arrested, Cooper gave an address of 523 E. Third St., though officers found him at the Telly Road address given them by the victim. He was taken into custody for felony taking of a vehicle, Dorn said.
Officers also discovered that Cooper was wanted on a number of outstanding warrants. In May of 2010, Cooper allegedly was arrested for false identification, no driver’s license and DUI, but failed to show for his court date, leading to a failure to appear warrant being issued for his arrest, Dorn said. Sometime that same month, Cooper was arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance, along with five other suspects. That incident did not lead to a warrant for his arrest.
In April of last year officers attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle but a pursuit ensued, the police captain said. Dorn said records show that once the vehicle was stopped, the driver fled on foot and escaped capture. Officers were able to establish the identity of the driver through passenger statements, who said Cooper was the driver. Another warrant was issued for Cooper’s arrest for charges of resisting arrest by fleeing, no insurance, no driver’s license, failure to yield to blue lights, careless driving and disregard of a traffic device.
Cooper was also wanted on a warrant for sale of controlled substance that officers attempted to serve during last year’s big drug roundup, but Cooper could not be found during the roundup.
Officers were able to serve all of those warrants during Cooper’s arrest on Sunday.