Fremont PD finds gun; teen charged
By Lee Williams
Published in News on January 22, 2007 1:45 PM
FREMONT -- Acting police Chief Chris Thigpen might not have the official title, but he's wasting no time in his effort to stamp out crime in the town's drug-infested areas.
And that quest has led to the arrest of at least one 18-year-old and the confiscation of a stolen .40-caliber handgun, Thigpen said.
Brandon Demarcus Haynes of Timberline Oak Drive was arrested during a recent run-in with Fremont police about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Police were patrolling a highly drug-infested section of town in the 500 block of South Sycamore Street and Chestnut when they spotted Haynes.
"Myself and (Sheriff's Deputy) Maurice Cox approached two males suspected of selling drugs, when Haynes took off," Thigpen said.
That's when things grew intense, he said.
"I pursued him in my vehicle and Cox pursued him in his vehicle."
During the pursuit, police allegedly spotted Haynes place an object under a storage shed.
Cox jumped out of his vehicle and chased Haynes on foot behind 802 S. Chestnut Street. The chase lasted only 10 minutes, he said.
"We caught him and then we back tracked and found a Springfield .40-caliber handgun," Thigpen said.
The large handgun, valued at $490, belonged to a woman in Dudley. The weapon was stolen from her home.
"He wasn't the one who stole it," Thigpen said. "Another person did and passed it to him and since he was the last one carrying it he was charged with possessing a stolen gun."
Haynes was also charged with carrying a concealed weapon and resist, obstruct and delaying an officer. Haynes said the teen had an extensive criminal history despite his youth.
Thigpen said he is proud he was able to get one suspected drug dealer off the streets. He plans to make more of an impact in the coming weeks in the town of 1,463 residents.
"We're glad that we were able to get him off the streets," Thigpen said. "That's one of my goals to clean up drugs and crime as acting chief."
Former Chief Wayne Schwark resigned last month in the wake of an unsolved murder investigation and after the Fremont Board of Alderman voted to extend his six-month probationary period for another three months in October. Meanwhile, the search for a replacement continues.