An alleged female victim reported someone had stolen her 2018 Nissan Sentra Thursday afternoon while it was parked at the gas pumps of a Church Street convenience store. She stated, according to the police report, “her keys and phone were among some of the items she had in her car when it was taken,” and “she had no idea who had taken her car.” The woman also claimed she was unaware of any witnesses.
The woman allegedly showed the Sulphur Springs police officer that her car could be tracked, which was indicated by the app to be reportedly parked next to a residence in the 100 block of Cottonwood.
The officer reported he parked his patrol unit behind the Nissan, then began to approach it to make contact with anyone who might have been in the car. A 33-year-old Salado Bell, Texas man, later identified as Tony Lynn McPherson Jr., was reported to have gotten out of the car, allegedly disregarded the police officer’s attempts to stop and speak to him, and instead “began to walk away,” the report read.
The arresting officer alleged in his report McPherson “took off running on foot, during which chase, the officer reported temporarily losing sight of the man.
Hopkins County Sheriff ’s deputies and a K-9 unit arrived to assist in the foot chase. The K-9 unit is alleged to have found McPherson “hiding under wood and building materials behind One Stop Sign Shop on Houston Street.
The report states that McPherson “sustained bite wounds from the K-9,” for which injuries EMS was called to treat.
According to the report, McPherson had stolen the car “because he was just trying to get away from this area” and “that he wouldn’t have ran away if he knew that officer had a K-9.”
McPherson was arrested on state jail felony charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and evading arrest with a previous conviction.
The car was released to its owner.