Bloody burglar, theft from the dead, and assault of an officer among recently indicted

The Jefferson County grand jury handed down felony indictment charges on June 7, of which 21 individuals will soon see their day in court for their alleged crimes.

Jason Cruz, 43,  of Beaumont, was charged with burglary of a habitation after getting more than he bargained for from an 80-year-old homeowner. According to Beaumont Police Department (BPD) Detective J.P. Courts, officers responded to the report of a suspicious person at the back door of a residence on Wildwood Drive, just after midnight on May 19.

Responding officers were then updated that there was a shooting victim at the residence, and upon arrival, officers met with the 80-year-old homeowner and his 77-year-old wife outside of their home, who directed them inside to the bleeding burglar. 

Officers located Cruz inside the residence, behind a bathroom door with a gunshot wound. Evidence of forcible entry to the residence’s rear and a trail of blood leading to the bathroom was visible. 

According to the probable cause affidavit for Cruz’s arrest, he was the subject of an earlier call for service, where he was reported missing by his mother. The homeowner indicated to officers that he had been awakened from sleep by his wife, who observed Cruz outside their home striking the glass patio door with a metal chair. The homeowners told officers that they do not know Cruz or his motivation for the activity. The 80-year-old homeowner stated that he gave Cruz multiple warnings to stop and leave, and he did not, after which Cruz defeated the door and made entry. In fear for his life and that of his wife, the homeowner told officers that he discharged a firearm, striking Cruz. 

Following his release from the hospital, Cruz was transferred to jail, with a bond of $100,000 set by Justice of the Peace Ben Collins Sr. 

Nicholas Jackson, 24, of Henderson, was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle and burglary of a habitation, stemming from an incident on Jan. 6 on Avenue L in Nederland, where a neighbor caught Jackson on camera entering and taking a 2020 Nissan SUV. Jackson subsequently admitted to knowing the owner was deceased and taking the vehicle without permission. Jackson was also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and theft of material aluminum/bronze or copper valued less than $20,000, having broken down on Jan. 24, next to a freshly cut copper line connected to a telephone pole. Nederland Police Officer Blake Mortera responded to the call on South Twin City Highway in Nederland and observed a section of the cut wire inside of Jackson’s broken-down vehicle, and spoke with witnesses nearby who called and reported seeing Jackson and Michael Borres pull over next to the power line, open the back hatch, hold up the copper line, and put something in the vehicle. 

A few fleeing felons made the list of recently indicted, as Cory Reshard Flemings, 32, of Port Arthur, was charged with possession of a controlled substance within Penalty Group 1, namely PCP, between 1 to 4 grams, and evading arrest or detention. Flemings is charged with intentionally fleeing from Officer Tyler Wisdom, with a previous conviction of evading arrest/detention with use of a vehicle on his record in both 2008 and 2021. According to the probable cause affidavit for Flemings’ arrest, Wisdom said that he responded to a report of a woman screaming inside an apartment, and Flemings exited through the back door, and down Brittany Avenue on a bicycle, refusing to stop despite the orders of Port Arthur Police Department (PAPD) officers. Flemings was apprehended a short time later.

Destini L. Hearne, 23, of Beaumont, was charged with aggravated assault against a public servant, a first-degree felony, stemming from an incident on May 5. 

While working secondary employment at Pour09 in Beaumont’s West end, BPD Officer Andrew Allen received a report of a disturbance in the parking lot. According to the probable cause affidavit for Hearne’s arrest, Allen approached Hearne while wearing his identifiable BPD uniform, and Hearne turned around and sprinted to her vehicle in an attempt to leave the scene. Allen pursued Hearne and advised her to stop. She entered the driver’s side of her vehicle, while Allen entered the passenger side. 

“Hearne put the car in reverse, causing the passenger door to pin my right leg between the door and door jam,” stated Allen in his report. Allen ordered Hearne to stop multiple times, after which he put the car in park, opened the driver’s door, and shoved Hearne out of the driver’s seat. Hearne took off sprinting, running down Dowlen Road, and was apprehended after yet another chase. 

Gregory Troy Gray Green, 33, of Port Arthur, was charged with possession of a controlled substance within penalty group one, namely PCP, less than 1 gram. Green was also charged with evading arrest or detention with a vehicle stemming from an incident on Nov. 11, following an attempted routine traffic stop.  

According to the affidavit for Green’s arrest, PAPD Lt. Lam Nguyen attempted to pull the vehicle over when he began to accelerate onto Gulfway Drive and into oncoming traffic at speeds upwards of 75 mph, disregarding red lights, and subsequently crashing in the 3700 block of Lewis Drive where the vehicle colliding with a tree after failing to negotiate a curve. 

In addition to the aforementioned offenses, numerous drug and other charges were included in the indictments, and will soon see their day in court. For a complete list of released June 7 indictments visit www.theexaminer.com.