A report from the Independence County Sheriff’s Department released Tuesday describes the pursuit involved when deputies tried to apprehend the two suspects who had robbed the main branch of Citizens Bank in Batesville on April 15.
Authorities say employees of the bank were in the process of filling the bank’s outside ATM machine at its main branch around 1:15 p.m. Friday when two Black men grabbed the three boxes of cash and fled in a dark grey Chevrolet Malibu with tinted windows (pictured).
The incident report from the sheriff’s department said the Malibu headed north on Highway 167 (St. Louis Street) from the bank. According to the report, Detective Zach Bailey was near East Main Street and White Drive when he began pursuit after observing the Malibu turn off East Main and onto White Drive.
While traveling on White Drive, Bailey said the vehicle “faked” a left turn before turning right into Batesville Poultry Equipment instead, almost striking another vehicle in the process. The suspect vehicle then came out of the parking lot, back onto White Drive, and again turned north on Highway 167.
The report said as Detective Bailey was nearing Highway 167 and Hilly Village, the Malibu headed north at a high rate of speed, passing other vehicles in an unsafe manner before abruptly turning onto Sunset Ridge Road.
As Bailey was trying to catch up with the vehicle, he said he noticed various pieces of clothing in the middle of the road. The pursuit continued on Sunset Ridge Road, gaining distance before it could not be observed any longer. Bailey reported when he got to Sunset Ridge and Misty Lane, he was unsure which direction the suspect vehicle went. After that, the vehicle was not seen again.
Batesville Police Chief Alan Cockrill said the clothing in the roadway was gathered by deputies for examination by city detectives working on the case.
Chief Cockrill said every available Batesville Police Department officer is working on some facet of the bank robbery case.
Image provided by the Batesville Police Department
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