Drug sting turns to armed robbery
A drug sting in Huntersville turned into a much more serious situation last Thursday when an undercover drug buy turned into an attempted armed robbery of two police officers in a parking lot near the Cook-Out restaurant off U.S. 21.
Arrested on charges of armed robbery (two counts each), conspiracy to commit armed robbery, possession of marijuana and sale and deliver marijuana were Tahj Kierre Wilson, 22, Garnett Robinson Taylor, 22, Jeremy Edward Berry, 20, and El-Tamon Maurice Greene, 23.
According to Huntersville Police Capt. Ken Richardson, two undercover officers were making a marijuana buy from the four men, under the watchful eye of eight additional undercover officers involved in the "safety team." That's when two of the men approached the officers' car with one of them, says Richardson, carrying a jacket concealing a weapon that was presumed to be the marijuana.
"The officers stepped out of their car because that's what they're trained to do so they don't get trapped inside a vehicle," Richardson says. "When they did that, it caught the (robbers) off guard, and that's when one of them showed a gun and told them to give them their money and their keys."
One of the officers threw the keys across the parking lot as both began backpedaling. Neither were wearing a bullet-proof vest. "They were very much in harm's way," says Richardson. One threw his hands up and the safety team members immediately swarmed the suspects while all the available officers immediately responded to the scene. "In all, we had 18 people there," Richardson says.
Chamber honors public safety winners
The Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce saluted the men and women who work to protect and serve the families and businesses of the Lake Norman region at the 2011 Lake Norman Chamber Public Service Award luncheon at Havana Banquet and Ballroom last week. The Chamber presented awards to the most outstanding officer from each North Mecklenburg public safety department, each selected by their respective chief.
Award recipients included Lt. David Baucom, Cornelius Police Department; Sgt. David R. Messer, Davidson Police Department; Sgt. Thomas J. Seifert, Huntersville Police Department; Firefighter Michael Fox, Cornelius-Lemley Volunteer Fire and Rescue; Firefighter Chris Morris, Davidson Fire Department; Firefighter Tucker Sizemore, Huntersville Volunteer Fire Department Station 1; Firefighter Chad Dunn, Huntersville Fire Department Station 2; and Greg Truesdell, North Mecklenburg Rescue Squad.
The Crime Stopper of the Year was presented to Diana Rochester by Crime Stoppers Chairman Tommy Davis. The Lake Norman Chamber represents approximately 900 businesses in the Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville, and the greater Lake Norman region.
