Car Jacking

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San Antonio Police Department
Incident Report
Investigating Officer: Sgt. Fred Nunez
Incident Reported: 10/9/97, 6:09 a.m.
Incident Address: Callaghan Road Exxon, 6127 Callaghan Rd, San Antonio
Victim's name: Phyllis and Jackson Sutterton Age: 56, 60
Address: 3310 Covington Lane, Dallas
Vehicle Description: 1993 Ford Econoline van, white, Texas lic. #KJD-295
Suspect: Edward Pierce (W-12797)
Description of Incident:
Dispatch received a 911 call from Jackson Sutterton at 6:09 a.m. Mr. Sutterton reported that his car had just been stolen from a filling station on Callaghan Road. I was patrolling in the area and responded to the call.
I found Mr. and Mrs. Sutterton waiting in the employee break room at the rear of the station. Mr. Sutterton explained that he and his wife had been in San Antonio visiting friends, and were just about to start the return trip home. Mr. Sutterton had been driving and pulled into the station at about 6 a.m.
Mr. Sutterton said he left the keys in the ignition when he went into the station mini-mart to buy some breakfast snacks and juice while Mrs. Sutterton pumped gas. Mr. Sutterton said there was one other person ahead of him in line for the cashier and estimated he was in the mini-mart for about 10 minutes. When he exited, Mr. Sutterton said he saw a man climbing into the drivers seat of the vehicle and turning the ignition, with Mrs. Sutterton standing nearby "in obvious shock and distress."
Mr. Sutterton described the man as being tall and thin, wearing a bright green and aqua blue Hawaiian shirt and jeans, but could not recall details about the type of footwear the suspect was wearing.
Mr. Sutterton ran toward the vehicle and shouted at the man, who drove the vehicle rapidly out of the station, turning right onto Callaghan Road. Mr. Sutterton immediately informed the attendant at the station, who lent Mr. Sutterton the station telephone to place the 911 call.
Mrs. Sutterton said that she took the keys out of the ignition to unlock the gas cap cover of the van and was holding them in her pocket while she pumped the gas. She said while she was pumping gas she had been looking around and saw the perpetrator walking toward the station. She said she noticed the suspect because of a slight limp in his gait, but otherwise didn't see anything unusual and did not feel wary of the individual. Mrs. Sutterton said that she had finished pumping and was returning the pump nozzle to its holder when the suspect approached her in the space between the pump and the driver's side of the van and "acted very menacing." Mrs. Sutterton said the man shouted at her to give him the keys and threatened to "slit your belly and rip out your guts" if she refused. Mrs. Sutterton said she was extremely frightened and gave the man the keys, at which point he rushed past her into the van, started the ignition, and drove away.
At this point Mrs. Sutterton became very upset and explained that they had been on a week's visit and all the luggage was still in the van. She estimated the value of the luggage and clothing to be over $1,000.
Mr. Sutterton said that he had paid for $12 worth of gas and that the van had about a quarter of a tank before fueling. He said the van usually got about 19 miles to the gallon.
Follow-up investigation: I immediately contacted dispatch and reported details regarding the vehicle, but no further sightings of the vehicle were reported. It is my belief that the perpetrator left the city limits immediately via route 410 or 10.
I spoke with the attendant, J R Coffey, 18. He said he didn't see the incident occur because he was helping the customer who had been waiting in line behind Mr. Sutterton, and added that he hadn't noticed anyone loitering near the station before the incident. He said the station is usually busy in the mornings because of commuters. I asked Mr. Coffey whether there was a security camera on the premises, to which he answered in the affirmative. I secured the videotape for viewing at the department.
I proceeded to the UT Health Center, where the emergency room staff reported no admissions or visits from anyone matching the description of the perpetrator.
Upon my return to the police station, I met again with Mr. and Mrs. Sutterton. I asked both of them to attempt to identify the suspect from photographs. While Mr. Sutterton was unable to pinpoint anyone, Mrs. Sutterton immediately chose the photograph of Edward Pierce, an escaped murder suspect from Mississippi. I questioned her at some length as to whether she was certain of the identification. She was at first adamant about the issue, but then said she had been "extremely upset" at the time and might not have remembered the details 100 percent. At that point the Suttertons' friends arrived to pick them up. Mr. Sutterton said they would probably fly back to Dallas the next day.
I reviewed the video tape provided by Mr.Coffey. After examining the video several times, I determined that the perpetrator did in fact resemble Edward Pierce, and I contacted federal agent Stremcha, who questioned me about details of the theft and the video. I agreed to cooperate in his investigation and have been directed to forward a copy of all reports and evidence regarding the case to him.
Signed
F. Nunez