Brownwood Police were called to a hit and run accident Thursday night which led to the arrest of one person for driving while intoxicated and may result in another arrest.
The accident occurred at approximately 6:30 p.m. in the 2200 block of Coggin Avenue when a Dodge pickup rear ended a Chevy S-10 pickup. According to the police report, the Chevy had suddenly stopped at the intersection of Coggin Avenue and 10th Street, causing the Dodge to collide with it from behind. Further investigation showed that the Chevy had just missed a utility pole and a tree stump, traveling up into the yard of a residence damaging several potted plants and a decorative fence and scattering several large rocks and bricks (used in the landscaping) into the roadway, according to the police report.
When police arrived, both vehicles had left the scene, the report states. A witness informed police that the Chevy had traveled to Avenue I and 10th Street, where the driver had then entered the residence, according to the report. Police interviewed the driver, identified as 62-year-old Larry David Hopkins who was determined to be intoxicated and had two prior convictions for driving while intoxicated, the report states. Hopkins stated that he didn’t know how his vehicle had been damaged and denied having been involved in an accident; however, he did admit drinking earlier in the evening, 16 ounce Keystone Light beer.
Evidence at the scene included a lid to a Styrofoam cooler and a cold 16 ounce Keystone Light beer along with a piece of a vehicle, the report states. Hopkins’ pickup was found to contain a Styrofoam cooler without a lid containing several unopened cold Keystone Lights and his truck was missing a piece which matched the piece found on scene, the report states. Hopkins was given field sobriety tests, which he failed, and was arrested for driving while intoxicated 3rd or more, driving while license invalid with previous convictions, fleeing the scene of an accident over $200 damage and failure to report upon striking a fixed object, according to the report.While visiting the scene of the accident, police followed fluid on the ground where the accident occurred to a residence in the 1700 block of Avenue D, the report states. A Dodge pickup was located at the residence which had front end damage, matching the damage of the Chevy truck’s rear, according to the officer’s report. No contact was made at this time with the occupants of the residence.
At 11:40 p.m., the owner of the Dodge pickup was noted to be home at the residence at Avenue D and officers interviewed the owner and his passenger. Initially, the owner of the Dodge stated that a female had been the driver of the vehicle; however, upon interviewing the female, she stated she was not the driver and that the male had her take the blame due to his license being invalid and because he did not have insurance on the vehicle, the report states.
The owner of the pickup stated that the female had been driving and that he was sorry for telling her to leave the scene of the accident and that he had pushed the truck back to his residence. No arrests were made at this location at the time of the report; however, the investigation is ongoing.
In other unrelated law enforcement arrests and reports released Friday, December 19, 2014:
Thursday, December 18
*7:30 AM – Brownwood Police were called to the 1800 block of 10th Street regarding the burglary of a habitation. According to the report, the complainant stated sometime on Wednesday, December 17th, an unknown subject broke into their home and stole several keepsake items including antique coins.
*9:47 AM – Brownwood Police were dispatched to the 1200 block of Austin Avenue regarding counterfeiting. According to the report, the complainant stated a male subject gave her two $5 bills which were counterfeit. An investigation is ongoing, the report states.
*4:16 PM – Brownwood Police met with a complainant at the law enforcement center regarding forgery. The complainant advised that a known subject had her deposit two forged checks into her account, according to the report. The complainant wished to pursue criminal charges against the suspect, the report states.
*11:43 PM – A Brown County Sheriff’s deputy made a traffic stop on County Road 411. During the stop, one of the occupants, identified as 22-year-old Marlin Cooper Eoff of Brownwood admitted to being in possession of marijuana, the report states. Eoff and another occupant admitted to having various items of drug paraphernalia in their possession. Eoff was arrested for possession of marijuana less than 2 ounces and driving while license invalid with previous conviction. The other occupant was issued a citation for drug paraphernalia and released at the scene.
*Brown County Sheriff’s Office received a report of credit/debit card abuse. According to the report, the complainant discovered her VISA debit card had been fraudulently used to make unauthorized electronic transactions. The total of the charges on her VISA statement was $95.60, the report states. The complainant also stated that she found another $468.42 in charges were made through Best Buy in her name, according to the report.
*Brownwood Police arrested 52-year-old Patrick Michael O’Connor of Brownwood for driving while license invalid with previous convictions.
*36-year-old Kelli Dann Sikes of Santa Anna turned herself in on a warrant related to motion to revoke/theft of property greater than $50 less than $500.
*Brown County Sheriff’s Office arrested 28-year-old Jonathan Britt Stanke, Jr. of Brownwood on a warrant related to motion to revoke/driving while intoxicated, blood alcohol content equal or greater than 0.15.
All arrestees are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Blotter information compiled from local law enforcement reports and jail records.
