Woman arrested after goods stolen from charity store

By BELTON WHITE
Item Staff Writer
bwhite@theitem.com

A 35-year-old Sumter woman was arrested Sunday after police said she stole exercise equipment, clothes and dishes from the donation box of a local charity and then resisted so much that officers Tasered her.

Angie M. Johnson, of 40 Jed Court, was charged with larceny and resisting arrest about 9:01 p.m. Sunday after an anonymous caller told officers there was a Ford Taurus at the Salvation Army Thrift Store, 330 N. Main St., and that exercise equipment was being stolen.

While en route, an officer saw a vehicle with equipment hanging out the driver's side rear window at North Main and Calhoun streets.

After being pulled over in the emergency room parking lot of Tuomey Regional Medical Center, Johnson was reportedly identified as the driver, and she told the officer someone stole the equipment out of her yard.

A records check revealed that she was wanted in Clarendon County, and Salvation Army's Sumter director told police the group wished to prosecute.

A search of the vehicle produced two bags of clothing valued at $50 and a box of dishes valued at $10. Johnson admitted to taking the clothing and dishes, but she maintained that the equipment was hers, police said.

A police report says that when an officer tried to put double-lock handcuffs on Johnson, she threw herself to the ground, began hitting her head on the concrete and yelled, "I will not go to jail!"

She was helped to her feet and immediately began to struggle, police said, so a Taser was used to drive-stun her, but she continued to struggle. So she was drive-stunned again, but she pulled away, falling to the ground again, an arrest report says.

While on the ground, she began hitting her head on the pavement when she wasn't yelling and trying to kick officers, police said. The probes from the Taser were deployed until Johnson was finally subdued, according to the report.

Johnson was taken to Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center. Clarendon County confirmed the records check and requested she be extradited there. The items were returned to the Salvation Army.



Contact Staff Writer Belton White at bwhite@theitem.com or (803) 774-1295.