DPD recognizes officers involved in recent chase
Published 1:20 pm Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Demopolis Police Chief Tommie Reese recognized the three officers involved in a recent high-speed chase. Shown from left to right are Reese, Sgt. Richard Bryant, Officer Tyrrenza Washington, Officer Joshua Ochiltree, Lt. Rex Flowers and Lt. Tim Soronen.
The three Demopolis police officers involved in the chase two week ago that involved chainsaws being tossed at the pursuing officers were honored Tuesday morning with Chief’s Citations from DPD Chief Tommie Reese.
Reese said the Chief’s Citation is a plaque that recognizes exemplary service, and that it’s something that not every officer receives.
“This is a special honor for our officers,” he said. “I want to recognize these men for their exemplary service on the night of the burglary, pursuit and capture of one individual, and later a second individual. They fulfilled their mission of taking care of the city of Demopolis.”
Reese presents a Chief’s Citation to Officer Tyrrenza Washington.
During the ceremony, Reese presented a plaque to Officer Tyrrenza Washington, Sgt. Richard Bryant and Officer Joshua Ochiltree.
Reese said Washington was the officer who initially heard the alarm coming from SunSouth, even before 911 reported the alarm to the officers on duty.
“Officer Washington heard the alarm before ever getting a call about it, and he went to check it out,” Reese said. “When he got there, he saw the suspects running out of the building with stolen merchandise and leaving the premises in a van. He gave chase, which led to an arrest.”
Reese presents a Chief’s Citation to Sgt. Richard Bryant.
Bryant and Ochiltree assisted in the pursuit of the suspects, and Reese said one of the chainsaws thrown at Washington blew out one of his tires. He said Bryant stopped and Washington got in his car, so pursuit of the suspects never stopped.
Thomas Omar Frieson and Audre Jerome Hendon were arrested and charged with third-degree burglary, first-degree receiving stolen property, possession of burglary tools and attempting to elude a police officer.
The suspects have also been linked to 15 other burglaries across the state, and so far, $375,000 worth of stolen goods have been recovered.
Reese presents a Chief’s Citation to Officer Joshua Ochiltree.
“I want to salute these officers for doing their job, even at 4 in the morning when their shift was going to end in a couple hours,” Reese added. “They were alert enough to hear the alarm and go check to see what was going on. I’ve got nothing but praise for what they did.”
