Tuesday, Jun. 16, 2009

Man nabbed after trying to rob woman and following her - to Madison County sheriff's 

Madison County Sheriff's Capt. Brad Wells said the suspect followed the woman from a gas station near Illinois 143 and Interstate 55 Monday evening and tried to rob her while she was in her vehicle.

The woman, who had her three small children in the vehicle with her when it happened, called 911. The woman, being directed by a dispatcher, drove toward the Madison County Sheriff's Department in Edwardsville. The suspect actually followed her until he realized where she was arriving.

The suspect, 26-year-old Carleous Clay Jr. of West Olive, Mich., was captured shortly afterward. Prosecutors charged him Tuesday with attempted armed robbery and possession of a stolen vehicle.

Wells gave the following account:

The victim was getting gas when she noticed a man drive into the gas station in a black Chevrolet Impala. The man entered the gas station and came outside. The woman left the gas station and headed east on Illinois 143. She saw the man driving behind her.

The woman felt uneasy about the situation and turned into a subdivision, where she went down a cul-de-sac. She stopped her vehicle in the 100 block of Emerald Hills. The man pulled alongside her and asked for directions to the interstate.

The woman knew something was fishy because the man had just left the interstate area. Clay asked the woman for something on which he could write. Clay then showed a black handgun and told the victim not to move, or he would shoot.

The victim fled, driving across a vacant lot. She called 911.

Sheriff's Lt. Gary Burns directed dispatcher Tim Fulcher to have the woman drive toward the sheriff's office. While the woman was on the 911 call, she said the suspect was following her.

"The suspect was running red lights to keep pace with the victim," Wells said.

Deputies were dispatched to try to intercept the suspect. As the woman arrived at the sheriff's office, the suspect turned around in a bank parking lot across the street.

The suspect headed east on Illinois 143 and was stopped near Pin Oak Road in Edwardsville by Deputy Scott Gurley. Clay was taken into custody there, but no gun was found in his vehicle.

Gurley's police dog, however, found the gun near Kiowa Street in Edwardsville. The weapon turned out to be an Airsoft-type gun that resembles a real gun.

During the 911 call, which lasted 7 minutes and 38 seconds, the dispatcher more than once had to calm the woman.

"The whole thing was really handled well, not only by the telecommunicator, but the victim herself," Wells said. "She kept her composure, she was able to tell the telecommunicator where she was at."

The vehicle Clay was driving had been reported stolen Monday in Michigan. He also was wanted for a parole violation in Michigan. Clay has served prison time for robbery charges.

Clay was being held Tuesday in the Madison County Jail with bail set at $100,000 by Circuit Judge Charles Romani Jr

LINK TO VIDEO:

http://www.bnd.com/breaking_news/story/809885.html