A Blytheville business was robbed at gunpoint Sunday morning, with the assailants captured a short time later, according to Blytheville Police.
Sunday at 3:30 a.m., police were called to the Flash Market Convenience Store located at 1305 East Main for a report of an aggravated robbery.
When officers arrived, they were met by the store clerk who told them that the offenders came into the store and forced her to open the cash registers by pointing a small silver gun at her. After the offenders got all the money out of the registers and stuck it into a white and black Nike bag, they went to the end of the counter and took several packs of cigarettes, and then ran out of the store and towards the Holiday Inn.
While searching the area, officers found the suspects hats and a black shirt that were used in the robbery, in the parking lot behind the Holiday Inn.
While en route to the robbery call, officer Jake Dowler met a white Chevrolet Impala traveling westbound in the curve at McDonalds on East Main at a high rate of speed, crossing over into the officer's lane.
Dowler then turned around and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle being driven by Donald Jackson, 19, of Blytheville.
There were two passengers in the vehicle, Casanova Lollis, 19, of Blytheville, and Deko Lomax, 23, of Osceola. Lollis and Lomax matched the descriptions given of the suspects in the robbery, so all three were taken into custody.
Lollis and Lomax were positively identified as the two men who were inside the store and committed the robbery. A search of the vehicle revealed the black and white Nike bag in the front floorboard of the vehicle containing the items taken from the store, a Davis Arms .22 caliber derringer handgun, a small baggie containing a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana, and a small baggie containing a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine.
Jackson, Lollis, and Lomax were taken to the police station where they were charged with aggravated robbery and theft of property. More charges are pending in the incident.
Two sisters arrested
Two sisters were arrested Sunday in connection with the assault of a Blytheville police officer, according to reports from the department.
Sunday at 7:10 p.m., officer Josh Long was called to the 2000 block of Chickasawba for a report of an aggravated assault.
Jo Ann Bell reported to police that Janie Brooks, 42, of Blytheville, chased her daughter, Raven Kirby, 17, of Blytheville, with a baseball bat over an incident involving garbage in the yard. Brooks lives next door.
Janie Brooks was standing outside her residence when Officer Long approached her to speak with her about the incident in question. Janie Brooks allegedly immediately became very verbally abusive toward the officer, jumping around, waving her arms in the air, and when she was asked to calm down, Brooks apparently replied with a vulgar remark toward the officer. Brooks was standing in her doorway continuing to yell and curse at the officer.
Long then told Brooks she was under arrest for disorderly conduct, and when he attempted to take her into custody, she slammed the door, smashing the officer's hand in the door.
Long then requested backup and opened the door of the residence to take Brooks into custody. When Long grabbed Brook's wrist, she allegedly jerked away and swung her fist, striking the Long in the face. Brooks then grabbed the officer and pushed him against a window in the home causing the window to break. She then apparently then attempted to push the officer out the broken window but was unsuccessful.
While Brooks was resisting arrest, her sister, Selma Brooks, 41, of Blytheville, entered the residence and forced her way between the officer and Janie Brooks, claiming to try and calm her down but preventing Long from taking the suspect into custody,
Sgt. Nick Nelson then arrived on scene and saw the two sisters and the officer struggling, so he deployed his Taser, striking Selma Brooks, and then took her into custody. Long was then able to place Janie Brooks into custody as well.
Both Janie Brooks and Selma Brooks were transported to the police station where paramedics were dispatched to check on Selma Brooks to make sure she was OK from being Tased.
Janie Brooks was charged with battery second, resisting arrest (physical), and disorderly conduct.
Selma Brooks was charged with hindering apprehension.
During the altercation, Long received minor abrasions to his face and neck and was treated by paramedics at the police department. He then went to Great River Medical Center to have his wounds cleaned and was given a tetanus shot.
Former Steele Police Chief pleads
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The former chief of police in Steele has pleaded guilty to two counts that he abused his public office by possessing and distributing prescription drugs. Michael Tomlinson made his appearance in federal court here on Monday. Tomlinson was the chief of police in Steele until March of this year, when he was indicted and arrested on the drug charges.
Tomlinson pled guilty to the two felony counts and, as part of a plea agreement, the two misdemeanor charges were dismissed. Tomlinson was represented by Wendell Hoskins II of Caruthersville. Assistant prosecuting attorney Abby Crites-Leon represented the United States government.
As part of the agreement, Tomlinson admitted he went to the home of a person that he did not know in March of this year and purchased Xanax and hydrocodones. He admitted that he later returned to the same residence and traded 22 Xanax and 12 hyrdrocodones for the purchase. Tomlinson also admitted that he made the transaction while on duty as a public official, namely the chief of police.
Tomlinson has been out on bond since his arrest and Hoskins asked the judge to consider continuing bond until sentencing. A pre-sentencing report will be submitted to the court and sentencing has been set for Sept. 21.
The plea agreement recommends a six-month sentence to federal prison; however, that agreement can be changed if the judge sees fit. Both felony counts carry a possible sentence of up to five years and a fine of $250,000.
He will remain out on bond until the sentencing hearing.