Monday, June 23, 2008

Brothers Robbed And Assaulted By Police Impersonator

   A Loretto man was apprehended late last week after he allegedly claimed to be a local police officer, then robbed and assaulted a pair of west Lawrence brothers as they left an area bar.

   Andrew S. Keeton, 21, of 373 Busby Road, Loretto, was arrested on numerous charges in the wake of the incident, which resulted in serious injuries to one of the brothers.

   The brothers, ages 46 and 43, who both reside on East Big Springs Road, told Lawrenceburg Police Officers they were exiting Good Times Bar, 356 Mattoxtown Road, around 10:20 p.m. when Keeton approached them, identifying himself as officer Adam Brewer.

   Keeton allegedly told the brothers he “needed to search their car and their persons,” then placed his hands behind his back. He reportedly told them he had a gun and “would shoot them,” if they failed to cooperate.

   Believing that Keeton was, in fact, a police officer, the brothers said they cooperated fully, allowing him to search their vehicle, then spread their legs and search their persons. They stated that he removed items from their pockets and placed them on the vehicle. It was when he began to remove money from their wallets that they became suspicious.

   One of the brothers reported that Keeton removed $375 from his wallet. When he asked to see his police identification, he said Keeton struck him on the side of the face and head, knocked him to the ground, then began kicking him repeatedly until he lost consciousness.

   The man sustained what officers described as “serious bodily injury.” He was transported by ambulance to Crockett Hospital for emergency medical treatment.

   Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputies arrived at the scene and were able to apprehend Keeton. He was then transported to the Lawrence County Jail. While there, however, Keeton was able to escape and flee on foot. A nearby police officer quickly gave chase, and reports indicate they were able to recapture Keeton behind the North Military Avenue branch of Bank of America.

   Officers report that “during his arrest, Keeton did fight with deputies, resisting, and did scar and scratch the passenger side of a city patrol car and break the radio antenna.”

   As a result of the incident, Keeton was booked through the jail on charges that include aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, impersonating a police officer, vandalism, disorderly conduct, two counts of resisting arrest, two counts of assault on a police officer, public intoxication, and escape. He is slated to answer the charges through Lawrence County General Sessions Court on July 7, 2008.

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