High speed chase starts chain reaction

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  • Edwin Dodd, a 42-year-old male from Newcastle succumbed to injuries sustained after a high-speed pursuit.
    Edwin Dodd, a 42-year-old male from Newcastle succumbed to injuries sustained after a high-speed pursuit.
  • Jonathan Hughes, a 41-year-old male from Madill was booked for Child Neglect, Possession of CDS and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
    Jonathan Hughes, a 41-year-old male from Madill was booked for Child Neglect, Possession of CDS and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
  • James Koop, a 26-year-old male from Madill was booked for Trafficking Meth, 20 grams or more, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
    James Koop, a 26-year-old male from Madill was booked for Trafficking Meth, 20 grams or more, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
  • Marsha Townsend, a 39-year-old female from Madill was booked for Child Neglect.
    Marsha Townsend, a 39-year-old female from Madill was booked for Child Neglect.
  • Tony Townsend was booked for Child Neglect, Maintaining a Place for Selling/Keeping CDS, Abetting a Minor in a Delinquency, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
    Tony Townsend was booked for Child Neglect, Maintaining a Place for Selling/Keeping CDS, Abetting a Minor in a Delinquency, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
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An incident on August 11 began a chain reaction of a few catastrophic events. It all began at approximately 4:30 p.m. when Madill Officers Gannon Reid and Shannon Beshirs noticed suspicious activity involving a blue “Crotch Rocket” style motorcycle.

While both officers made an attempt to find the suspect – later identified as Edwin Dodd, a 42-year-old male from Newcastle – and intercept it, other traffic made it difficult to do so. Reid, however, was able to retrieve the license plate number and call it in.

After calling in the license plate, it came back registered to a black 1991 Harley Davidson XTC; nowhere close to the “Crotch Rocket.” Finding out this information led officers to actively search for the elusive motorcycle. Officers made their way to the east side of town, by the Gaming Center, then back to a residence on North Eighth Avenue, where they originally spotted the motorcycle.

They also patrolled past a residence on South Fourth Avenue from a hunch that Beshirs had. Apparently, his hunch was right, because the motorcycle was in front of the second residence they passed.

Beshirs witnessed the suspect on the motorcycle speaking with Tony Townsend, a 37-year-old male from Madill, and an older gentleman sitting in a white pickup. Beshirs followed a hunch again and recommended surveying the residence because the suspect had been to two residences in a short period of time; suggesting possible drug activity.

Only a short while after both officers began surveying the residence, the white pickup and the motorcycle both left the residence. Beshirs then located the motorcycle and pulled in behind it. He was able to run the license plate again to confirm that it was not registered to the motorcycle.

Sure enough, the license plate came back registered to a Harley Davidson. That is when the chase ensued. After pursuing the motorcycle through William Ray Park, down Rogers, and by Trinity Baptist Church, it proceeded down Highway 377. Reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, the chase abruptly ended when Dodd failed to negotiate a 90-degree turn, lost control of the motorcycle and struck a tree.

Beshirs checked on Dodd, who was on the ground near the tree with the bike on top of him. Beshirs called dispatch and had EMS in route to the location. Reid checked the pockets of the suspect to be able to identify him and found a plastic bag containing a crystal-like substance, an insulin syringe back with 27 oval shaped pills, a cell phone and a wallet with Dodd’s identification and $319.

After EMS loaded Dodd into the ambulance, and later flown to Medical City Plano in critical condition, Beshirs turned his attention to the motorcycle and called the VIN number in to dispatch. The motorcycle, a Kawasaki, was reported stolen out of Sulphur Springs, Texas in 2019.

This incident led to a chain reaction, because Judge Gregory L. Johnson signed a noknock warrant for the residence that Dodd was seen at before the chase.

Once officers entered the house, they noticed Tony Townsend and James Koop at the front door and ordered them to get down. Both suspects complied and were detained.

Officers found more individuals as they swept the house. They encountered Martha Townsend and a juvenile. There was also an infant in the room. James Koop was located in the computer room and was also detained.

The officers then led the suspects outside and laid them on the grass. While searching the suspects, Koop was found to be in possession of multiple clear baggies with a white crystal-like substance, and a metal scale. The baggie weighed over 30 grams.

Once the suspects were searched, it was time to search the residence. Officers found more clear baggies with a white crystal-like substance, multiple pipes and bongs, a green leafy substance, and white pills matching what Dodd had on his person during the pursuit.

Officers also found Oxycodone pills, and an opened box of Narcan containing two unused units of Narcan nasal spray. The Narcan was found near an infant play pen.

The search then brought officers to the juvenile’s room, where multiple bottles from a dispensary were found containing a green, leafy substance, a bong and multiple pipes.

After searching the house, the infant and juvenile were turned over to DHS, and the four suspects were booked into the Marshall County Jail.

Jonathan Hughes, a 41-year-old male from Madill was booked for Child Neglect, Possession of CDS and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. An online search found a prior conviction for DUI.

Marsha Townsend, a 39-year-old female from Madill was booked for Child Neglect. An online search only found a few traffic tickets.

Tony Townsend was booked for Child Neglect, Maintaining a Place for Selling/Keeping CDS, Abetting a Minor in a Delinquency, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Multiple Oklahoma priors were found in an online search. They were listed as Child Abuse by Injury, Possession of CDS with the Intent to Distribute, Unauthorized Use of a Police Radio, Domestic Abuse/Assault and Battery, Domestic Abuse, and Larceny of Lost Property.

James Koop, a 26-year-old male from Madill was booked for Trafficking Meth, 20 grams or more, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. An online search found priors for Possession of CDS and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Unfortunately, Dodd succumbed to the injuries he sustained on August 15 at approximately 4:30 p.m.