Police and fire briefs for June 7, 2012

Patrick Jamar Harris

Suspect identified in three armed holdups

Police are looking for a man accused of robbing several people at gunpoint in the Baton Rouge area between March and May, a police spokesman said.

Patrick Jamar Harris, 17, is wanted on three counts of armed robbery and one count each of aggravated kidnapping and first-degree robbery, Cpl. Tommy Stubbs said in a news release.

In one case, Harris kidnapped one of his victims but later released that person, Stubbs said.

Harris is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 160 pounds, with a low cut hair and a row of gold top teeth, Stubbs said.

Officers believe he is somewhere in Baton Rouge and is considered armed and dangerous, Stubbs said.

He has been moving frequently to avoid arrest, Stubbs said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Armed Robbery Division at [phone] or Crime Stoppers at [phone].

Man critically hurt in two-car accident

Police investigated a crash Wednesday morning at Sycamore Street and Longfellow Drive that sent one person to a hospital in critical condition, a police spokesman said.

Jeffery W. Woodard was driving a 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier west on Sycamore at 10 a.m. when he failed to stop at a stop sign, Cpl. Tommy Stubbs said in a news release.

Woodard’s vehicle struck a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado driven southbound on Longfellow by Theodore J. Martin III, Stubbs said.

After the collison, both vehicles left the roadway and struck different trees, Stubbs said. Martin’s vehicle also rolled over.

Martin, 52, 5306 Breckenridge Ave., was taken to a hospital in critical condition, Stubbs said.

Woodard, 20, 12035 Constance St., was treated at the scene.

The incident is under investigation and charges are pending, but alcohol is not considered a factor, Stubbs said.

Prairieville man, 25, booked in sex assault

Police arrested a Praireville man Tuesday accused of sexually assaulting a woman in March, according to an arrest warrant.

Jeremy Mitchell, 25, 40459 W. Hernandez Ave., was booked into Parish Prison on one count of sexual battery.

Mitchell gave the victim a ride home March 29 but stopped the car near the Hollywood Casino on River Road and attacked the woman, the warrant said.

The victim yelled and Mitchell stopped, then the two started arguing and Mitchell attacked her again, the warrant said.

Subject of missing person report found

Sheriff’s deputies located a man whose daughter had reported him missing after he failed to return home from a grocery shopping trip late Sunday, a sheriff’s spokeswoman said.

Deputies located Freddie Lee Gladney, 59, in good condition Wednesday, Casey Rayborn Hicks said in a statement. Gladney had simply chosen not to contact his daughter about his whereabouts, Hicks said Wednesday.

Gladney had last been seen leaving his Bluebonnet Boulevard home around 11 p.m. Sunday, Hicks has said.

Gladney, who lives alone, had told his daughter he was going grocery shopping, but never made it home, leading to the missing person report.

Central firefighter treated after blaze

A Central firefighter had to be treated for heat exhaustion Wednesday morning after a house fire at 13605 Devall Road, according to a Central Fire Department news release.

The call reporting the blaze came in at 2:29 a.m., the release said.

The house was engulfed when Central firefighters arrived, the release said. One of the residents were injured; the firefighter suffering from heat exhaustion was taken to a local hospital for treatment, the release said.

The fire, which caused an estimated $80,000 of damage, is under investigation, the release said.

Pawn shop break-in nets 25 handguns

Police are investigating the theft of 25 handguns and jewelry from a pawn shop on Florida Boulevard on May 29, a police spokesman said.

Officers received a call at 6 a.m. of someone entering Pelican Pawn Shop, 2646 Florida Blvd., through the roof, Cpl. Tommy Stubbs said.

Police have no suspects or motives at this time and have not recovered the guns, Stubbs said.

Lightning hits roof, fails to cause fire

Lightning struck the roof of the Allstate Insurance Agency building, 13702 Coursey Blvd., on Wednesday, St. George Fire Protection District spokesman Eldon Ledoux said.

The lightning hit the roof around 4:30 p.m.; damage was limited to the roof and attic, Ledoux said.

No sustained fire was detected and no one was injured, Ledoux said.

Authorities book 2 on suspicion of DWI

Authorities arrested at least two people suspected of driving while intoxicated in East Baton Rouge Parish and booked them into Parish Prison between 2:30 p.m. Tuesday and 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, booking records show. Those booked and the counts against them:

• Britany Bateman, 20, 10055 Park Ridge Drive, Denham Springs, first-offense DWI and improper lane usage.
• Albert Sneed, 29, 1125 Shilo Drive, Baker, first-offense DWI.

Compiled from staff reports. To talk to a crime reporter at The Advocate, call [phone].