Ballpark Brawl Leads Busy Week
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WATER VALLEY — Water Valley police responded to several unrelated incidents over the past week, including a fight at Crawford Sports Complex, a DUI arrest that delayed officers responding to the fight, the arrest of a man accused of stealing a vehicle and a separate arrest involving a naked man walking in a neighborhood.
Police Chief Jason Mangrum said officers responded May 7 to a fight at Crawford Sports Complex during youth baseball and softball activities. By the time officers arrived, the fight had already ended.
Mangrum said the altercation followed what he described as a verbal dispute connected to an ongoing domestic and child custody disagreement. Police investigated reports that a knife may have been involved, but Mangrum said officers were unable to confirm that allegation.
According to Mangrum, officers later filed disturbing the peace charges against both parties involved, identified as Leslie “Son” Vanlandingham Jr. of Oakland and Garrett Coffey of Water Valley. Mangrum said both men have also filed charges against one another in city court.
Mangrum said both men have been trespassed from Crawford Sports Complex and the Water Valley Parks and Civic Commission has been asked to consider broader bans involving additional city parks and events for at least one year.
“The Water Valley Police Department nor the Parks Commission will tolerate any disruptive behavior in any city park at any time,” Mangrum said. “Appropriate measures, including being banned, will be enforced to the highest level.”
Mangrum said officers were delayed responding to the fight because they were already tied up on a DUI investigation.
According to the chief, officers were dispatched to Express Mart No. 7 at the bypass intersection of Hwy. 315 and Hwy. 7 after reports of a driver slumped over the steering wheel with the vehicle running. Officers found the driver disoriented with bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and the odor of alcohol.
Mangrum said the driver admitted to drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana earlier in the day. Officers also reportedly found open containers of alcohol and a small amount of marijuana inside the vehicle.
Austin Davis, 27, of Water Valley was arrested and charged with DUI second offense.
On May 8, officers investigated the reported theft of a vehicle from the area of Turnage Drug Store in downtown Water Valley. Mangrum said the owner had briefly gone inside the business when the suspect allegedly entered the vehicle and drove away.
The vehicle owner was able to assist officers using a location-tracking app connected to an iPad left inside the vehicle. Mangrum said Water Valley Police worked with Oxford Police Department, the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department and the Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Department as officers attempted to track the vehicle as the driver headed north on Hwy. 7 to Oxford before circling back to Yalobusha on Old Taylor Road.
Mangrum said there was an approximate five to 10 minute delay on the location of the iPad, making it difficult to keep up with the vehicle as the driver navigated Oxford on a busy Friday afternoon . After returning to Yalobusha County, the driver abandoned it in the parking lot at Solero Technologies on Hwy. 32.
Taurek Willis, 28, of Water Valley was arrested and charged with taking of a motor vehicle. He was apprehended a short distance from the parked vehicle.
Mangrum said Willis told officers he was hearing voices that instructed him to take the vehicle. The chief described the case as a “delicate balancing act” involving both criminal charges and possible ongoing mental health issues.
In a separate incident May 9, officers responded to a report of a naked man walking in the Stephen Street area.
Mangrum said officers encountered Morris Banton, 51, of Water Valley on May 9, on Stephens Street.
Banton allegedly refused to put his clothes on and was arrested for indecent exposure after he refused repeated requests to go inside or get dressed.
