A Kansas City, Mo. man allegedly stole a car from a Riverside, Mo. woman in late August then returned to her apartment in a different stolen vehicle, starting a violent and potentially dangerous chain of events.
After a brief struggle, a Riverside Police Department officer took Earl Brown, 54, into custody at about 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 30 after a Dodge Dakota truck rolled down a hill and struck several cars. Brown remains in custody at the Platte County Detention Center in lieu of a $25,000 cash-only bond, charged with one count of felony tampering and one felony count of resisting arrest.
Earl Brown
According to court documents, a caller reported the truck crash that night, and upon arrival, officers observed a verbal argument between the witness and the suspect, identified as Brown.
The witness saw the truck roll through a parking lot, and when he made his way to the vehicle, he found it still running with the keys inside. Brown was found a short distance away, yelling at two juvenile girls.
Brown’s erratic behavior continued when police arrived, and several people started to gather around the scene.
According to court documents, Brown faced off with the officer and told him he “could not (expletive) stop him.” The officer then took him into custody after Brown refused to remove his right hand from his pocket.
Police found a pair of brass knuckles in Brown’s pocket, and he continued to yell at authorities before being transported to police headquarters. A computer records check showed the Dakota reported stolen in a carjacking earlier that day in Kansas City, Mo.
A bystander at the scene reported a possible assault that occurred prior to the car accident.
Officers responded to a nearby apartment and made contact with the 78-year-old occupant, who said Brown occasionally stayed at her residence despite her knowledge of his criminal record. At about 4 p.m. that day, Brown showed up at her apartment, forced her to the ground after an argument and took her car keys out of her bra, according to court documents.
Brown returned and told the victim her car had been totaled. According to her statement, he claimed to be on PCP in addition to drinking vodka, and he became violent toward her while threatening to kill her.
After packing some belongings, Brown allegedly left and saw the two juvenile girls, who told him the truck rolled down the hill and caused an accident.
Brown told authorities in an interview a wild story about a gang initiation gone wrong in Kansas City, Mo. that led to the damage done to the victim’s car, according to court documents. He claimed that while trying to stop the gang initiation the members trashed the truck by throwing bricks at it and firing guns into it.
According to court documents, Brown claimed the initial reporting witness tried to set him up about the stolen truck. The argument between the two escalated, and Brown eventually entered the truck and tried to move it “without thinking.”
The victim’s car was found in Kansas City, Mo. with two flat tires and extensive damage. The truck was stolen less than a mile from the spot the car was found.