On Tuesday at 3:54 p.m., officers with the Picayune Police Department were dispatched to Wal-Mart in reference to possible gunshots, Assistant Police Chief Jeremy Magri said.
Upon arrival, Magri said, officers learned there was a group of people in a van that had been soliciting without a permit. The group was attempting to sell Sonic gift cards.
Magri said several customers complained to store management about the van and one complainant pointed the group out.
Management asked them to leave, Magri said. One of the complainants, 41-year-old Clifford Barnes of 36169 Central Ave., Pearl River, La., followed the group to the Murphy gas station, Magri said.
When the group began soliciting again, Barnes became agitated, and a verbal altercation ensued, Magri said. The group claimed to be a church organization based out of Texas.
At this time, Magri said both parties were attempting to leave the gas station when the group’s van ran into another vehicle causing an accident.
This appeared to upset the group and they chased Barnes’ vehicle beating on the windows and door in an attempt to have him exit the vehicle, Magri said.
It was at that point, Barnes pulled a weapon and discharged it into the air, Magri said. The weapon and casing were recovered from the scene, Magri said. No injuries were reported due to the incident.
Barnes was taken into custody and charged with discharging a firearm within city limits, Magri said.
All subjects in the van, identified as 19-year-old Christopher Beard, 19-year-old Joshua Davis and 19-year-old Courtney Cheshire, all of 4612 Estesville Rd., Longview Texas and 36-year-old Brandon Cheshire and 35-year-old Donald Choate, both of 325 S. High St. were all charged with soliciting without a permit, Magri said.
Magri said officers inventoried the van and discovered a duffel bag, which contained $3,868 and several pill bottles with the prescription labels scratched off. The bottles contained several different types of controlled substances, Magri said.
During the investigation, officers determined the bag belonged to 41-year-old Bradley Beard of 4612 Estesville Rd., Longview, Texas, Magri said. Bradley Beard was charged with soliciting without a permit, felony possession of controlled substance and three counts of misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.
During an inventory of the vehicle, officers located the handbag of 41-year-old Melanie Beard of 4612 Estesville Rd., Longview, Texas, Magri said. Inside the bag, officers found an assortment of pills identified as controlled substances. Melanie Beard was charged with soliciting without a permit and three counts of misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.
The money in the suspect’s possession was seized due to the fact that it was in close proximity of drugs or narcotics, Magri said. The group was incarcerated at the Picayune jail.