InTucker Magazine

On the Beat with Lt. Smith

From severe thunderstorms to tornado warnings, it’s been a stormy Spring here in Tucker. With those recent weather events, a few issues have arisen that warrant mentioning to assist with safety.

• If you approach a traffic signal that is not functioning (there are no lights on at all), you are required by law to treat it as a four-way stop. If the light is on but flashing, then a red flashing light means you must stop. If it is flashing yellow, then you should slow down and be prepared to stop if you have to.
• If you are traveling in heavy rain, do not turn your emergency flashers on and continue driving. You should only turn them on if you pull onto the shoulder and are stopped. Driving with them on can cause other drivers around you to swerve at the last minute and cause an accident.
• If it’s raining or the roads are still wet, you should have your headlights on. Do not drive with your high beams on if there is traffic (coming or going) in front of you.
• If limbs or trees should fall onto your vehicle or residence, please do not call the police. We are not able to write you a report and this ties up an officer from handling other calls. We should only be notified of these if there is a traffic hazard (trees or wires are down in the roadway).

Finally, be sure that you have an emergency plan in place for your family and that everyone is familiar with it in the event of an emergency (fire, tornado, etc.).

Police Blotter

Sexual Assult – On May 5th, a juvenile female was walking home from the store on Juliette Road when a suspect grabbed her from behind and pulled her into the woods. The suspect attempted to sexually assault the female, who continued to punch, kick and scream at the suspect to let her go. She managed to break free from the suspect and run back to the road to get assistance. She immediately went home and told her mother who, in turn, called the police and transported her daughter to the hospital for evaluation. She was released the same day and was able to work with the police and a sketch artist to get a composite of the suspect drawn.

Once the sketch was complete, officers and detectives responded back to the scene and began canvassing subdivisions in the area and soliciting information from the public. While in the area, Officer Crego observed an individual, who looked strikingly similar to the sketch, get out of a vehicle at the gate to an apartment complex. He made contact with the subject and began a brief investigation, which then led to the notification of detectives in the area. The subject was transported back to headquarters for an interview and it was later determined that he was the suspect from the sexual assault. The suspect has since been linked to additional crimes in the area and was still on probation from a previous sexual assault.

Police Chase – While at the Piccadilly on Memorial Drive and Hambrick Road, Officer Poole observed a vehicle that had been used in multiple armed robberies in the area. Once he got behind the vehicle to confirm it was the same one, the driver sped off in an attempt to flee. Because the vehicle had been used in several armed robberies and represented a clear threat to the public if not apprehended immediately, he was approved to actively pursue the vehicle. The pursuit wound its way up Hambrick Road, Roadhaven Drive, Mountain Industrial, East Ponce and finally down Kelton Drive where the driver crashed after striking a police car.

The converging officers were able to apprehend two of the suspects within minutes of them fleeing from the vehicle. After a perimeter was established and K-9 was called into the scene, the third and final suspect was also arrested. Tucker CID responded to the scene and the initial investigation indicates that the vehicle had been taken in a carjacking out of another agency. Two weapons were recovered from the fleeing suspects; one was reported stolen out of East Precinct and the other had the serial number filed off. CID is also expecting to clear up at least three armed robberies in the immediate area.