From STAFF REPORTS
CORDELE — Doing their best to stop a rash of gunfire that has taken place of late primarily on the west side of town, Cordele Police Department officers have arrested a man believed responsible for at least one of the incidents.
Reports released to the news media on Tuesday identify the suspect as Gregory Odoms, 19. He is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, criminal damage to property, three counts of aggravated assault, robbery by sudden snatching, battery and criminal use of an article with an altered identification mark.
Additional charges may be forthcoming against Odoms who is currently being held in the Crisp County Law Enforcement Center.
Sgt. Carrie Lull said she received an anonymous tip Monday afternoon that Odoms was in the area of 22nd Avenue and 11th Street while wearing a blue T-shirt, black pants, red bandana tied around his neck and a black “hood” on his head.
As she and Lt. Louis New approached the area, they saw Odom who began to walk away when he realized he had been seen. Lull said she gave pursuit and upon getting close enough for him to hear her ordered him to stop.
When he turned around to face Lull, she asked him if he had a gun and said he responded by raising his hands toward the hem of his shirt as if he might be reaching for something inside his trousers.
She reached for her Taser and advised him to get on the ground or she would shoot. He complied and in a subsequent search was found not to have a weapon in his possession. However, when searching shrubbery near the area of what Odoms had been standing, Odom said she found a Glock .45-caliber pistol underneath a bush.
Officers also conducted two other Monday investigations linked to the recent gunfire incidents.
A resident of the 900 block of 11th St. S. told Sgt. Lull that upon checking his car to determine why it ran hot he saw fluid leaking from a large hole in the radiator.
The officer said she told the complainant the estimated $500 damage done to his vehicle was the possible result of gunshots being fired in the area the night before.
A similar complaint was made from the 400 block of 21st Ave. W. by a resident who told Sgt. Jeremy Taylor her home also had been damaged by random gunfire.
The victim said she noticed a hole in her bathroom wall on Saturday morning but wasn’t sure what had made it until speaking with her son who told her he had seen a hole in the exterior of the house.
When relatives went looking for further evidence, they found a .45-caliber bullet lying between her bathroom and wall. It apparently had ricocheted off a stone chimney before passing through her bathroom wall and door.
In other activity, officers:
— Responded to a couple of deliberate vandalism complaints.
A resident of the 700 block of 24th Ave. W. told Sgt. Charles Hill her former boyrfriend damaged her Compaq laptop computer and Magnavox 42-inch television set by pouring water into them. Total damage was estimated at $1,000.
A resident of the 400 block of 10th St. N. told Sgt. Robert Montgomery someone stole two tires and rims from one of two vehicles they vandalized. The items were taken from a 2007 Dodge Charger that had two obscene words scratched on it. Similar damage was done to a 1998 Nissan Maxima at that same residence.
Neither the car owner nor other residents in the area could provide a reason for the damage or the possible identity of the suspect who struck sometime Monday or early Tuesday.
— Investigated a burglary complaint filed by the owner of commercial property located in the 200 block of 24th Ave. E..
The complainant told Cpl. Jesse Barfield burglars struck at that location sometime within the last three weeks while he was out of town.
Listed as missing were a Poulan chain saw, a two-piece set of Harbor Freight paint guns, a portable air tank, an angle grinder, an older model television set and a suitcase containing various sewing equipment.
The hood on the complainant’s car also was raised, but the vehicle was not damaged and nothing was taken from it.
— Charged Ukayla Johnson, 18, of 1206 Fourth St. S., with theft by shoplifting after loss prevention personnel at Wal-Mart told Sgt. Robert Green she had tried to shoplift a shirt and scarf valued at $12.84.
— Arrested Vontressa Shaneidra Mapp, 23, of 601-D Sixth Ave. E., on a probation warrant secured by the Warwick Police Department.
— Cited Monique “Litter” Dunwoody, 27, of Albany, for criminal trespass after she came to the police station Monday night and allegedly admitted slashing the tires on the car of a Golden Corral diner. She told Lt. New she did so because the car owner had slapped her as the result of an earlier argument the two had in Albany.
— Made a fourth offense disorderly conduct charge against Linda McKenzie, 53, of 209-F 24th Ave.
Employees of a 16th Ave. E. service station told Sgt. Hill McKenzie was creating a disturbance there by cursing customers when they wouldn’t give her a cigarette.
