By Bonnie Culverhouse
A local man suspected of taking items from a woman’s residence was arrested by Minden Police on drug charges.
Sylvester Thomas Coleman, 29, of the 600 block of Columbia St., Minden, is charged with 2 counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting an officer with force or violence.
Minden Police Chief Steve Cropper said Off. Logan Clingan was dispatched to the 400 block of Fort Street around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.
“The caller said Coleman was taking items from her home without her permission,” Cropper said. “While en route, the officer was notified that Coleman was walking toward Sheppard Street pushing a black shopping cart with multiple items in it.”
Cropper said Clingan made contact with Coleman, who was standing in the opposing lane on Fort Street and asked him to step to the front of his unit.
“Coleman refused, saying he did not take any of the items, that his sister was on drugs and the officer had no reason to be out with him,” said the chief. At that time, Sgt. Mitch Hackett went to make contact with the caller to gather more information, and Lt. Spencer Tippen arrived on the scene to aid Clingan.
According to the report, Coleman kept attempting to leave the scene and would not listen to officers.
“He told the officers he has a lawsuit against the police department for using witchcraft on him, and his lawyer told him he had a right to avoid us,” Cropper said.
Officers reportedly noticed a blunt object with a handle on top of the cart, and when Clingan stepped away to push the cart to a safe distance, Coleman fled on foot.
“Tippen pursued him on foot and caught Coleman after he ran between two trees and fell into a bush,” Cropper said. “He resisted officers’ efforts to handcuff him. Sgt. Hackett was on the scene at that point and deployed his Taser. He gave Coleman a loud verbal command to place his arm behind his back. When Coleman refused again, Sgt. Hackett stunned Coleman, who then complied.”
Officers reportedly conducted a search in the area where Coleman fled and located a glass meth pipe. Another was located in Coleman’s jacket pocket.
He was booked at Minden PD and transported to Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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