Wednesday, August 13, 2003
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Wednesday, August 13, 2003 |
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Bad-mouthed teen tackled by PTC cop
By JOHN MUNFORD
A police officer who noticed a young girl crying on a cart path Saturday afternoon was led right to the suspect who made several unsolicited remarks to her moments before, police said. Matthew Tate, 18, tried to run away on foot, but Cpl. Eric Powell hopped in a golf cart to give chase, and eventually tackled the suspect to put him under arrest, said police Chief James Murray. Tate has been charged with enticing a child for indecent purposes, possession of LSD, loitering, obstruction of a police officer and altering a state-issued ID card. The incident started when Powell noticed the girl, 13, crying on the cart path near the city's public works department on Kelly Drive while he was responding to another call, Murray said. Powell decided to see what was wrong, so the call was assigned to another officer. The girl told the officer what happened, and then she pointed out that the suspect was still nearby, Murray said. Powell then hopped into a golf cart driven by a public works employee, telling the driver to follow the suspect, the chief said. At one point, Tate tried to turn around to elude capture, Murray said. Powell was close enough that he could leap from the golf cart and tackle the suspect to the ground, Murray added. Murray said Powell made the right decision to stop and see what was wrong with the girl. He noted that the LSD in Tate's possession was wrapped for individual sale.
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