Gary man escapes from police, found hiding in apartment closet
by Lori Caldwell lcaldwell@post-trib.com | 648-3258 December 11, 2012 4:30PM
Lake Station Detective Mike Smith (left) and Lake Station Officer Dennis Dover (right) escort Garrick Thomas, 24, (center) who escaped police custody and was recaptured at Miller Village Apartments in the Miller section of Gary, Ind. Tuesday December 11, 2012. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: January 13, 2013 6:21AM
GARY — Police arrested Garrick Thomas on Tuesday morning.
And then again Tuesday afternoon.
Thomas, 24, of Gary, allegedly fired shots into the entry of a Miller Village apartment about 10:40 a.m.
Patrolmen Demonte Yanders, Greg Smith, Raymond Robinson arrived at the apartment complex and located Thomas at 860 N. County Line Road.
He admitted shooting, telling officers someone shot at him, Lt. Del Stout said. Police confiscated a semi-automatic handgun.
He was arrested, handcuffed and placed in a squad car while officers began investigating the incident.
Thomas apparently decided to jump from the squad car and run.
That brought multiple police agencies — K-9 officers from Gary, Lake Station and Dyer, the Lake County helicopter, national park police, Burns Harbor and Portage officers as well — to the scene to search.
Lake Station Detectives Mike Smith and Dennis Dover started a canvas of the apartment complex while others combed the nearby wooded areas.
Smith knocked on a door and spoke to a young woman whose explanations of her activity made him suspicious. He asked to check her apartment, and she agreed, Smith said.
In the bedroom, he found a shotgun and men’s slippers under the bed and opened a closet door where he saw the top of someone’s head under a pile of clothing.
When Thomas didn’t show his hands and cooperate, Smith used his stun gun.
Medics examined Thomas at the scene, then released him to police.
He is being held facing charges of criminal recklessness, escape, possession of a handgun without a license, possession of marijuana and resisting law enforcement.
The woman living in the apartment, Bobbi White, 31 was arrested after police found drugs in the apartment she shared with Thomas.
Child Protective Services took custody of her two children, ages 1 and 2 years old.
She was being held on charges of maintaining a common nuisance and harboring a fugitive.
