Manhunt nets five arrests
Published 5:00 am Wednesday, July 17, 2002
BOGUE CHITTO — A manhunt in a wooded area between Bogue ChittoRoad and Big Creek Road led to the arrest of two Californiaresidents and three Bogue Chitto residents Tuesday night,authorities said.
Moreia S. Green, 21, and Jermaine Robertson, 22, both of SantaMaria, Calif., along with Victor Reeves, 29, address unavailable,were arrested on a warrant from California authorities, whileBrenda May, 37, of 102 Bogue Chitto Road, and George R. Robertson,38, of 100 Bogue Chitto Road, were arrested and charged withharboring a fugitive following the approximately 10-hour longmanhunt.
The incident began Tuesday afternoon at a residence on BogueChitto Road, where Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy David Johnsonwas responding to a suspicious vehicle call.
“The call came to us through a concerned citizen who felt thatthings didn’t look right,” said Lincoln County Sheriff LynnBoyte.
After running the California tag check on a vehicle that hadbeen parked at 100 Bogue Chitto Road since Sunday, Johnsondiscovered the vehicle was reported stolen and called forbackup.
“One of the guys came outside and saw him (Johnson) and wentback inside,” said Boyte, who was pulling up to the scene when thesubject ran inside the trailer.
The three occupants of the trailer — Green, the youngerRobertson and Reeves — apparently took the screen off a backwindow and ran outside immediately after spotting Johnson.
“They scaled a fence and were running east toward Bogue ChittoTruck Stop, when we spotted them,” said Boyte.
Johnson was able to capture Green in a field between theresidence and Big Creek Drive, while Boyte tried to cut the two menoff before they hit a nearby wooded area.
“If I had seen them just 30 seconds sooner we could have gottenthem before they made it into a very thickly wooded area,” saidBoyte, who was covered in cuts and scratches after joining otherofficers in a search of the area.
Officers from the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Brookhaven PoliceDepartment K-9 Unit, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department,Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, and theHinds County Sheriff’s Department, combined with Lincoln Countysheriff’s deputies, auxiliary deputies and a Lincoln Countyconstable in the manhunt.
“It’s critical when yor have situations like that to have enoughmanpower, and we were able to with the help of other agencies,”said Boyte. “We held that perimeter until about 9 p.m. last nightand pulled everybody out, except for just a few people in strategicplaces.”
Authorities contacted residents in the area and asked them toreport any suspicious activity.
Around 1:30 a.m., Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Chris Picounoticed a vehicle come through the area a few times, then get ontoInterstate 55 heading north. He noted that the vehicle had beenparked at the residence on Bogue Chitto Road earlier in theday.
“Officers pulled the vehicle over and the two boys were in theback under some quilts,” said Boyte.
The older Robertson, father of the younger Robertson, and May,were immediately arrested on harboring a fugitive charges. They hadapparently picked up the younger Robertson and Reeves, according toBoyte, and planned to help them escape.
Boyte was grateful for the help his department received in themanhunt. He thanked members of the community, as well as lawenforcement officers, for their assistance.
“We had a lot of people helping us out yesterday and that’s whatit took,” he said.