Police arrest man found in trunk of car

Published 1:32 pm Tuesday, May 11, 2010

A McKenzie man accused of domestic violence is in custody after law enforcement officials found him the trunk of his daughter’s car.

McKenzie Police Chief Clint Reaves said that he arrested Jason Dale Dean, 37, in connection with an incident on April 27.

Reaves said Dean’s ex-wife was stopped at Brooks Street, preparing to turn right onto McKenzie Street when she alleges that Dean hit the back of her sedan with his pickup truck and tried to force the vehicle into oncoming traffic.

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The woman’s sister claimed to have witnessed the event from her vehicle after the two were leaving their deceased mother’s house, where they were sorting through her belongings, said Reaves.

When the incident occurred, Dean was out on a $100,000 bond awaiting trial for two counts of stalking, Reaves said.

Deputy Tim Williamson of Butler County Sheriff’s Department assisted Reaves when he went to arrest Dean.

Reaves said Dean knew they were coming way before they arrived.

“They listen to police scanners down there and someone tipped him off that I was coming” Dean said. “I think he was trying to flee back to Covington County.”

Reaves said he contacted neighbors around Dean’s residence to make sure he couldn’t leave the county. He said residents notified the police when they saw Dean climb into the back of the vehicle.

Police then pulled over the sedan for a traffic stop and asked the driver for permission to search the vehicle. Reaves said the suspect was “very surprised” to see police officers waiting for him when they opened the trunk.

Dean was arrested on May 6 and charged with domestic violence-reckless endangerment, domestic violence-menacing, leaving the scene of an accident, and operating a motor vehicle without insurance.

Dean was also charged with a previous violation upon his arrest, for domestic violence-harassing communications.

Sheriff Kenny Harden said that district attorney John Andrews filed a motion to revoke Dean’s bond.

“Judge Mack Russell put a $100,000 bond on him last time, but he still managed to make bond,” Reaves said. “Hopefully we can keep him in jail until trial this time.”