Deputy’s report: Vehicle reported stolen found burning in creek

The following are excerpts from just some of the reports recently generated by the Texas County Sheriff’s Department:

• At about 4:45 p.m. Aug. 11, a deputy responded to a report of a domestic violence situation at a King Road residence at Mountain Grove.

Upon arrival, the officer made contact with a 45-year-old woman who was hiding inside a camper on the property. The woman had reportedly advised dispatch that her 45-year-old husband had been drinking, breaking things in the house and verbally assaulting her.

The woman told the officer the man had not been physical with her.

The deputy attempted to speak to the man outside the camper, but he refused to acknowledge the officer’s presence. Both people were advised of the 12-hour rule, and the officer left the scene.

At about 5:40 p.m., dispatch advised that the woman had called again and said the man was back at the residence attempting to start another verbal fight.

Multiple deputies responded and made contact with the man, but he became combative and resisted commands. He was eventually detained and taken to the Texas County Jail.

A probable cause statement was sent to the county prosecutor seeking assault and resisting charges against him.

• On Aug. 9, a deputy was dispatched regarding a report of a domestic disturbance at a Clayton Drive residence at Licking.

The officer made contact with a 30-year-old man and 23-year-old woman there, and the woman said they had been drinking and arguing. The man told the officer the woman had hit him several times.

A witness told the officer the woman had been confrontational and seemed to be the aggressor. She told the officer that any physical contact made was “playful.”

The officer gave the woman a courtesy ride to a nearby residence and both parties were advised of the 12-hour rule.

• On July 25, a deputy responded to a Highway 17 residence at Plato regarding a report of stealing by deceit.

The officer made contact with an 84-year-old woman there who said she had been in contact with a person going by the name Agent Johnson Moore since July 19 regarding a Community Development Block Grant. The woman told the officer the alleged agent had advised her to pay a fee by purchasing Apple Play Cards and then taking pictures of the cards and sending them to him via Facebook Messenger.

She said she did so in the amount of $2,020, but then became suspicious when he told her to buy a teddy bear, place $18,000 in it and mail it to an address in Indiana.

After the deputy spent a significant amount of time assisting the woman with Apple customer support, they advised the woman would be helped in recovering funds lost due to the scam.

• On July 19, a deputy responded to the intersection of Highway MM and Beaver Road regarding a report of an abandoned vehicle.

Upon arrival, the officer observed a white Ford F-250 blocking the westbound lane on Beaver Road. It was towed away.

• On July 18, a deputy responded to a report of an abandoned vehicle on fire at a Mellow Drive property at Cabool.

The officer made contact with a 63-year-old man who owns the property and he said he noticed a large amount of smoke coming from the back of the property and discovered a Dodge truck actively burning as it sat in a creek.

The officer observed tracks indicating the truck had traveled through a tree line before reaching the creek. A computer check revealed that the truck was registered to a 28-year-old Houston man.

The officer contacted him, and he said that on July 18 he had reported the truck stolen to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department. It was towed from the scene.