Brandon Carter, 23, of Killeen was arrested in Milam County at about 9:30 a.m. when he was stopped on a routine traffic violation.
“He was a model traffic stop,” said Trooper Mark Berry, the man who arrested Carter north of Rockdale.
Berry stopped a 2005 Dodge Neon on U.S. 77 because the car was driving without a front license plate.
Berry said when he spoke with Carter, he admitted to stealing the car and to an armed robbery attempted at the Temple Walgreens.
“He was calm, cooperative and respectful,” Berry said. “I told him to get out of the car and put his hands behind his back, and he did. I cuffed him and put him in my car.”
The bizarre tale began shortly after 3:30 a.m., when police say Carter walked into the Wal-Mart in the 3400 block of South 31st Street, reportedly smashed a display case with a golf club, removed a 12-gauge shotgun and left the store on foot.
Temple Police Department spokesman Sgt. Allen Teston said officers arrived at the Wal-Mart store within three minutes of the incident, and by that time, Carter was apparently across the street attempting to hold up the Walgreen’s.
“We were in the area when he did the robbery,” Teston said. “It was a real tight time schedule. From the time we received the call, until the time we were on the scene, less than three minutes had elapsed.”
Carter was confronted by police the day before, when an officer reportedly believed his behavior was suspicious.
“It was just his basic mannerism,” Teston said. “It was cool out and he was not wearing a shirt. It was just several things as a police officer that didn’t fit. Sometimes as a police officer, you get that gut reaction.”
Teston said it was that field interview that led police to identify Carter so quickly.
Meanwhile, Carter is believed to have walked into the Walgreen’s with the shotgun he stole from the Wal-Mart, and pointed the gun at two clerks, and demanded money.
Teston said the clerks refused to give Carter any money, and Carter reacted by hitting one of the clerks in the face with the shotgun.
The victim, later identified as Donald Guthrie, was taken to Scott & White Hospital where he was treated and released.
Meanwhile, after Carter assaulted Guthrie, Carter ran from the store.
“We searched the area and were unable to locate (him),” Teston said. “About 8:44 a.m., we received a call that a victim was robbed at gunpoint and a vehicle was taken from him at 1810, the Village Apartments.”
Police searched for the car, and during that search, were called by authorities in Rockdale, who said they had Carter in custody.
Berry said Carter told him he wanted to go to jail because he is homeless and was looking for a place to turn himself in when he was pulled over.
“I’m not buying that,” Berry said. “If he wanted to turn himself in, he could have waited for police when he stole the shotgun. There are plenty of police stations between here and Temple.”
Carter is being held in the Milam County Jail without bond.
He could face a maximum 99 years in prison for each robbery count, if he is found guilty of these crimes.
nbkirk@temple-telegram.com
rstinson@temple-telegram.com
