Additional information has been released and additional charges added to the Chicago man that was arrested by Officer Weir with the Plymouth Police Department on Friday evening after he allegedly shoplifted at Lowes and then hit a witness with his vehicle.
Plymouth Police were dispatched to 1100 Pilgrim Lane, Lowes Home Improvement at 5:51 Friday evening about a that that occurred and the suspect hit one of the witnesses with his vehicle as he was leaving the scene.
Witnesses said the silver Ford with no license plate headed eastbound on U.S. 30. The county dispatch center was also told the driver was a black male and the steering wheel was pink.
Deputy Bennett observed the suspect vehicle heading east on U.S. 30 and waited for Officer Miller and Mark from the Plymouth Police Department to catch up before initiating the traffic stop.
Once the vehicle was stopped officers located a Craftsman Jump starter pack and a Craftsman 20v 6-piece multi-power tool kit along with several items from Walmart. A multi-toolbox from Walmart contained several items including knives, various tools, and walkie-talkies. Both items from Lowes and Walmart still had security alarms on them.
Officer Weir spoke to Mr. Banks, the witness that attempted to stop the suspect, 25-year-old Tekee Russel from leaving the Lowes parking lot. Banks pulled around the back of the Ford vehicle Mr. Russell was in to get a license plate and found there was no plate on the vehicle. He then got out of his vehicle and stood in front of the suspect’s vehicle so he couldn’t leave. The suspect put the vehicle in drive and struck Mr. Banks and kept pushing him with the vehicle to a point where Banks was bent over the hood because he lost his balance then held on for a short time and eventually fell off from the driver’s side of the vehicle.
A second witness, Ms. Yung, told the officer the same scenario and told Officer Wier she tried reaching into the vehicle to grab the keys and disable it. Yung said the suspect told her, “I don’t live here, and you’ll never catch me.”
A third witness told police she was getting ready to exit her vehicle at Lowes and heard the screaming and recorded the incident on her phone.
Tekee C. Russell is currently being held in the Marshall County Jail on a $5,000 cash bond with charges of Battery with a deadly weapon as a level 5 Felony, Criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon as a level 6 felony, and theft as a level 6 felony.
Readers are reminded that charging information supported by an affidavit of probable cause is merely an allegation that a crime has been committed and that there is only probable cause to believe a crime has been committed. They are presumed innocent throughout the proceedings and are entitled to be represented by counsel and entitled to a trial jury at which the State is obligated to provide proof beyond a reasonable doubt before a judgment of guilt may be made.
