Ex-coach will stand trial for armed bank robbery

Published 12:30 am Saturday, May 7, 2011

A former assistant football coach at Porters Chapel Academy has been indicted for armed robbery by the Warren County Grand Jury, which was convened Monday by Circuit Judge M. James Chaney.

Derrick M. Collins, 45, 170 Shannon Lane, was arraigned in Circuit Court Friday on charges which also included fleeing or eluding a law enforcement officer. His trial date was set for Aug. 29.

Collins is accused of robbing the Britton and Koontz Bank on U.S. 61 North of about $3,000 on Dec. 14.

Email newsletter signup

Sign up for The Vicksburg Post's free newsletters

Check which newsletters you would like to receive
  • Vicksburg News: Sent daily at 5 am
  • Vicksburg Sports: Sent daily at 10 am
  • Vicksburg Living: Sent on 15th of each month

Collins, armed with a handgun, entered the bank and demanded money, court documents said. He threatened a teller, then left when she handed over the cash. No customers were in the bank, and no one was injured.

Collins is accused of then leading deputies on a high-speed chase from U.S. 61 to Mississippi 27 and on to Warriors Trail, where he crashed into an investigator’s cruiser and was arrested.

Court documents show that Collins had prior felony convictions for robbery and uttering a forgery in the mid-1990s.

Collins was not a classroom teacher at PCA, and a day after his arrest was no longer an employee at the private school.

Also this week, grand jurors issued an indictment for armed robbery against 26-year-old Christopher Johnson, who had been staying at city motels in the weeks before his arrest. Johnson is accused of robbing the Trustmark Bank on Mission 66 on Sept. 24.

According to court documents, Johnson had a semi-automatic pistol and was given a prepackaged amount of money that contained a dye pack that exploded as he ran from the bank.

A witness provided a description of his vehicle, court documents show, and he was later spotted passing dyed currency at at least three Vicksburg casinos. Johnson also was arraigned — formally advised of the charges against him in court — Friday. Chaney set his trial date for Sept. 6.

The grand jury reviews evidence in criminal cases presented by police, sheriff and deputies, and the district attorney and prosecutors. The panel of 18 jurors was selected from about 250 Warren County registered voters chosen at random.

During this session, they reviewed evidence in 113 cases against 142 individuals, issuing indictments in 95 of the cases and returning 13 no bills, meaning not enough evidence to charge. In addition, two cases were returned for review by the next grand jury, and five cases were reduced to misdemeanors.

In addition to Collins and Johnson, at least 55 defendants were arraigned Friday. Indictments are not released publicly until arraignments have taken place. More arraignments are set for Monday.

Other indictments released Friday were:

• Ernest K. Addae, 25, 780 U.S. 61 North, Apt. 16G — possession of controlled substance with intent to distribute, Nov. 22.

• Edward D. Alexander, 19, 1313 Jefferson St. — shoplifting, third offense, Jan. 1.

• Darryle D. Allen, 18, 5708 Gibson Road — two counts of possession of a controlled substance, July 17.

• Henry Armstead, 27, 2418 Halls Ferry Road, Apt. 2 — larceny of a motor vehicle, July 24; and burglary, non-residential, Aug. 11, motor vehicle larceny and four counts of vehicle burglary, Aug. 17.

• Ronald D. Bailey, 16, 320 Fisher Ferry Road, Apt. 47 — attempted armed robbery and aggravated assault, Dec. 5.

• George M. Banks, 39, 1326 Grove St., Apt. 1 — two counts sale of a controlled substance, Jan. 18 and 19, and possession of a controlled substance, Jan. 20.

• Rory Beard, 45, 34 Redhawk Road — burglary, non-residential, Nov. 26.

• Claude D. Berry, 60, street address unavailable, Raymond — possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, Nov. 3.

• Patrick T. Brown, 18, 1309 Bay St. — burglary of a dwelling, Nov. 28.

• Timothy Earl Caples, 20, 132 Pebble Beach Drive — simple assault on a law enforcement officer and two counts of aggravated assault, Sept. 24.

• Kevin Cross, 21, 1190 Burnt House Road — two counts aggravated assault, May 18.

• Kenneth O. Curry, 19, 525 Grange Hall Road — burglary of a dwelling, Nov. 28.

• Jarvis Jamal Ellis, 23, 408 N. Poplar St. — possession of a stolen firearm, Sept. 30.

• Thomas J. Gerhold, 25, 139 Meadowbrook Drive — molesting, Oct. 31.

• Patrick Henry Grandberry, 46, 920 Buck St. — two counts possession of a controlled substance, Feb. 17.

• Delvin Antonio Green, 26, 780 U.S. 61 North, 18C — fleeing or eluding a law enforcement officer, Oct. 11.

• Brandon D. Harper, 24, 102 Hamilton Place — possession of a stolen firearm, Sept. 30.

• Jimmie W. Hart, 21, 1408 Sherman Ave. — vehicle burglary, Dec. 20; and two counts vehicle burglary, possession of burglar’s tools and receiving stolen property, Dec. 10.

• Lenard Hendell, 20, 440 Lake Hill Drive, Apt. 106 — possession of a controlled substance, Feb. 4.

• Willie Earl Hicks, 26, 104 Starlight Drive — possession of a controlled substance, Jan. 16.

• Christopher D. Hyder, 27, 4076 Barland Road, Pattison — DUI third offense, Jan. 10.

• Benjamin Johnson, 21, 127 Redhawk Road — burglary of a dwelling and grand larceny, Dec. 9.

• Ricky D. Johnson, 37, 1421 High St. — burglary of a dwelling, Jan. 12.

• Elizabeth Carol Kennedy, 30, 165 Louisiana 577 South, Delta, La. — two counts of credit card fraud, Oct. 18.

• Jimmy Dean Knight, 54, 1404 Florida St., Tallulah, La. — sexual battery, victim under age 14, Jan. 2.

• Jessica N. Lacey, 27, 719 Redbone Road — forgery-counterfeit instrument, July 21.

• Roderick D. Lane, 30, 309 Shady Lane — aggravated assault and burglary of a dwelling, Sept. 14.

• Sean Patrick Lott, 32, 275 Clark Road — possession of a controlled substance, Sept. 18.

• Guy Harrison Martin, 46, 229 Hildegarde Terrace — embezzlement, Sept. 2.

• Demarcus McDaniel, 17, 1369 Bay St. — burglary of a dwelling, Nov. 28.

• Robert Lee McNeil, 59, 515 Stouts Alley, Yazoo City — DUI third offense, March 25.

• Christopher Lynn Montpelier, 40, 4680 Lee Road — eight counts credit card fraud, Aug. 19, Sept. 7 (two), Sept. 9, Sept. 14 (two), and Sept. 16 (two).

• Michael D. Nash, 34, 328 Bayou Blvd. — possession of a controlled substance, Oct. 6.

• Joseph Lee Newman, 36, 540 Old Cain Ridge Road — possession of a controlled substance, Nov. 8, 2009.

• Willie Peoples Jr., 35, 901 Wabash St., C1 — rape, Dec. 6.

• Samuel J. Perry, 32, 94 Walton Lane — embezzlement, Nov. 9.

• Harold L. Powell, 40, 2817 Ken Karyl Ave. — possession of a controlled substance and possession of a weapon after felony conviction, Jan. 28.

• Catina D. Quinn, 38, 101 Delta Dawn Circle — two counts forgery-counterfeit instrument, July 2 and July 28.

• Michael S. Shelley, 20, 1193 Louisiana 577 North, Delhi — two counts credit card fraud, Oct. 18.

• Ricky Lee Sims, 42, 32 Pauline Drive — receiving stolen property, Sept. 17.

• Lester R. Smith, 54, 1204 Howard St. — sexual battery, May 12.

• Ricky Cavitt Smith, 48, 775 Dudley Road — grand larceny, Sept. 12.

• Kenya K. Stevens, 18, 1421 High St. — burglary of a dwelling and grand larceny, June 16; burglary, non-residential, Aug. 3; and burglary of a dwelling and grand larceny, Aug. 4.

• Paul Stewart, 43, 1103 Fayette St. — possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, Jan. 21.

• Daniel Edward Stokes, 17, 1245 Mount Alban Road, Lot 26 — vehicle burglary, Nov. 24; and two counts vehicle burglary, possession of burglar’s tools and receiving stolen property, Dec. 19.

• Joe Kevin Thornton, 34, 703 Jones St., Apt. 8, Tallulah — possession of a controlled substance, Aug. 10.

• Marcus Jemel Tyler, 22, 3280 Goat Hill Road, Edwards — sale of a controlled substance, Nov. 23.

• Dontaye J. Walker, 18, 601 Howard St. — burglary of a dwelling, Aug. 22.

• Jerry Benard Wheeler, 38, 1214 Jackson St. — burglary of a dwelling, Jan. 12.

• D’Zackery D. Williams, 18, 147 Irene St. — burglary of a dwelling, Sept. 15.

• Joseph L. Williams, 27, 1325 Jackson St. — two counts of possession of a controlled substance, July 17.

• Justin Terrell Williams, 26, 1325 Jackson St. — two counts of possession of a controlled substance, July 17.

• Chiquita Wince, 20, 814 Walnut St. — possession of a controlled substance in a jail, Dec. 24.

• Davionte A. Wince, 18, 320 Fisher Ferry Road — attempted armed robbery and aggravated assault, Dec. 5.

• Lashonda R. Woodson, 29, 1520 Marcus St. — uttering a forgery, Sept. 8.