| Updated: 7/04/2011 6:17 pm |
Published: 7/04/2011 5:36 pm |
LITTLE ROCK, AR – A church music director in Garland County hurt himself while chasing a man accused of burglarizing his church. After tackling the suspect in the woods and being unable to stand, Jeff Turner sat on the suspect for 10 minutes until law enforcement showed up to arrest him.
Arrested is 44-year-old Charles Taylor from Booneville, about a two hour drive away from the New Home Baptist Church in Royal. Turner was taken away in an ambulance. A CAT scan revealed a torn hamstring, which he suffered while chasing Taylor down.
Turner had just finished his young adult Sunday class and was headed back to the main building for worship service. That’s when the pastor’s wife told him and the pastor that there was someone in the church’s parsonage.
While the pastor went inside to confront the man, Turner went around back to cover the basement door. The back door was ajar and moments later a man came out. Tuner said the man was wearing a backpack, mask, and gloves, carrying a pry bar and a pocket knife.
“The back door opened and I told him ‘hold it’ and he said ‘I can’t,’” said Turner. The suspect then ran off towards the woods behind the church. “I took after him. At the edge of the woods I dove at him at the middle of his back.”
Turner says he sat on the suspect while they waited for the Garland County Sheriff’s Office to respond. During that time Turner said he forgave Taylor. “We just had a class about forgiveness. I told him ‘right is right and wrong is wrong, but I forgive you for what you have done.’” Turner added, “I felt sorry for him more than anything.”
Taylor faces charges of attempted burglary. Turner will spend the 4th of July laid up at home, resting his injured leg.
