Posted 9:09 am Wednesday, February 08, 2012
Police: Boy Helps Capture Plane Theft Suspect
By TIM MONZINGO
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
An 8-year-old boy is credited with helping East Texas authorities capture a career criminal accused of stealing an airplane from the Athens Airport two weeks ago.
Nacogdoches County Sheriff Thomas Kerss said they were alerted to the theft by Athens police and were keeping an eye out at local airstrips for the plane. Residents living around private strips were helping the sheriff's office by monitoring traffic at the strips.
Madison "Maddi" Simmons was at his home south of Nacogdoches on Monday when he noticed a Cessna 180 airplane -- matching images he'd seen online with the same identification number as the stolen craft -- land at a private strip off County Road 536, near the Nacogdoches Boy's Ranch, Kerss said. He told his parents, who alerted deputies to the situation.
Kerss said when deputies identified themselves to Terry Boozer, who was at the strip, the suspect ran into some woods nearby. Deputies arrested him a short time later, around 4:30 p.m., and charged him with the theft of the plane and evading arrest.
Boozer, 56, is a convicted felon who was wanted in the county on "several drug and weapon-related charges," Kerss said.
Sgt. Don Yarbrough, of the Athens Police Department, said a warrant for Boozer's arrest in relation to the theft was issued Monday night in Henderson County. The suspect will be charged with felony theft in the incident as the value of the plane is estimated to be $110,000.
Kerss said Boozer still will face evading arrest charges in Nacogdoches County, though the theft charge will be dropped in favor of the one from Athens. Because Boozer was in possession of the stolen plane, he could be charged with the theft in Nacogdoches, but Kerss said they would let Henderson County authorities handle the charge since that was the location of both the victim and incident.
He said several hours of flight time were recorded during the period the plane was missing and authorities are working to figure out where the plane visited since it was reported stolen between Jan. 26 and Jan. 28.
The theft charge is a second-degree felony, punishable by two to 20 years incarceration and a fine not to exceed $10,000, according to the Texas Penal Code.
Kerss said Simmons will receive commendations from the department for helping locate and arrest a suspect in relation to the case.
