The Marion County Informer

Columbia Detective Chris Brumfield

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

A 41-year-old Columbia woman was a victim of a strong-arm robbery on Sunday afternoon, and police are looking for three suspects, according to Detective Chris Brumfield.

Brumfield said the victim had borrowed a vehicle from her former boyfriend. As the victim was driving on East Avenue another vehicle had blocked the roadway, and she got out to see what the problem was. At that point, three black females allegedly began assaulting her by kicking her and punching while she was on the ground, Brumfield said.

One of the suspects took possession of the vehicle and it has been determined that the vehicle was registered to one of the suspects. The suspects also allegedly took $1,000 out of the victim’s purse, Brumfield said.

No arrests have been made as police are seeking the three suspects, Lakeisha Thomas, Linda Thomas and Carrie McGowan, all of Columbia. They are being sought on strong-arm robbery charges, Brumfield said.

64-year-old man victim of Columbia stabbing incident

A 47-year-old Columbia man was arrested by police on a charge of aggravated assault for allegedly stabbing a 64-year-old man Friday afternoon.

Tommy Lee Collins was arrested shortly after the alleged incident that occurred at the Handy Man Garage at the corner of Owens Street and Martin Luther King Drive, said Detective Chris Brumfield. Collins allegedly took off on foot after the attack but was arrested shortly after on South Main Street.

The victim had been stabbed in the upper right chest area and was transported to Marion General Hospital. Brumfield said Collins was already on probation, but it is unclear what for.

An estimated $9,500 worth of tobacco was stolen from Smokey's on Highway 13 North in Columbia this morning, according to the store manager.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

An estimated $9,500 worth of cigarettes and cigars were stolen in a burglary at Smokey’s Discount Tobacco on Highway 13 South in Columbia early this morning, according to the store manager.

Manager Andrea Thomas said the store’s alarm sounded at around 4:09 a.m. this morning and that the bottom of the glass front door had been broken out with a block.

Surveillance footage from the store shows to black males filling up garbage cans with Winstons, Newports, Salems, and Swisher Sweets, said Thomas. A change box containing $450 was also stolen, she said.

One of the suspects was wearing a mask, blue jeans with a long chain and a decal. He was also wearing Nike shows that were white on the bottom and black on top and a Yankees hat, Thomas said. The suspect without the mask was wearing a blue shirt, dark blue jeans, beanie hat with an emblem on the side and white tennis shoes, Thomas said. The man’s face was blurry on the surveillance video, she said.

There is a sign set up outside the store asking for help in finding the burglars.

A sign seeking help finding the burglars is displayed at the entrance to Smokey's.

Roland J. Bourgeois Jr.

From the U.S. Department of Justice:

Columbia resident Roland J. Bourgeois Jr., 47, was charged Thursday in a five-count indictment with conspiring to commit a hate crime, committing a hate crime with a deadly weapon and with intent to kill, making false statements and obstructing of justice in connection with a shooting that happened in the days after Hurricane Katrina.

Thursday’s indictment was announced by Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas E. Perez; U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana Jim Letten; and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI New Orleans Field Office David Welker.

According to the indictment, on Sept. 1, 2005, Roland Bourgeois Jr. fired a shotgun at three African-American men because of their race and because they were attempting to use the public streets in the Algiers Point neighborhood of New Orleans. These African-American men were wounded as they sought to evacuate from New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

The indictment alleges that, after Hurricane Katrina, Bourgeois discussed shooting African-Americans and defending Algiers Point from outsiders, including African-Americans who did not live in the neighborhood. After Bourgeois fired a shotgun at the three men walking on a public street, he learned that one of his victims had been wounded and he announced that he was going to kill African-Americans. Bourgeois then allegedly warned an African-American resident of Algiers Point that, “anything coming up this street darker than a brown paper bag is getting shot.” Immediately following the shooting, Bourgeois retrieved from the scene – and subsequently displayed – a bloody baseball cap that belonged to one of the victims.

The indictment further alleges that Bourgeois later provided a false statement to federal agents investigating the Sept. 1, 2005, shooting in Algiers Point. Bourgeois is also charged with corruptly persuading an eyewitness to lie to the FBI. Finally, Bourgeois is charged with using a firearm in furtherance of the alleged conspiracy and civil rights offenses.

Bourgeois faces a possible maximum sentence of life in prison.

This case, which is ongoing, is being investigated by the New Orleans Field Office of the FBI, and is being prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Forrest Christian and Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana W. Scott Laragy.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.