Driver in deadly hit-and-run tried to break into Coast home, police say. But owner had a gun.
The driver accused of plowing into a crowd of people in the CSL Plasma parking lot on Wednesday was involved in a burglary about an hour beforehand, according to affidavits filed in the case.
One person died at scene, and four others were seriously injured.
Police received a call about a burglary in progress about 5 a.m. Wednesday.
The homeowner told police she first heard a loud bang by a back door and her dogs started barking.
The woman said she grabbed a gun “for her protection,” then headed toward the glass door in the back of the house, the affidavit filed by Gulfport Detective Christopher Klock said.
The woman pulled back the blinds, and said she saw someone standing at the door.
She then backed away from the door and lost sight of the the burglar, later identified as hit-and-run driver, Justin Tripp Overall, 34.
When Gulfport police got the home, the burglar had left.
Gulfport homeowner had surveillance
The homeowner had a video surveillance system that captured footage of Overall twice kicking the rear glass door of the home before he grabbed a patio chair and threw it through the door, shattering the glass.
He ran away as soon as the the homeowner called out to confront him and said she had a gun, the video showed.
Less than an hour later, police said, Overall was in a stolen white work van when he sped through the parking lot of CSL Plasma on U.S. 49, hitting six people and killing one of them.
Doris Haskins Duckworth, 60, of Gulfport died at the scene.
Police said plumbing tools spilled out of the rear of the van when Overall sped away. They soon found the van abandoned at the Shell gas station on Creosote Road and U.S. 49.
He was arrested on Creosote Road about 11 a.m. Wednesday.
Court hearing set
Overall is being held at the Harrison County jail on one count of manslaughter, five counts of aggravated assault and one count each of burglary and receiving stolen property.
Justice Court Judge Diane Ladner set his total bond at $3.75 million.
Overall is set for an initial appearance in the courtroom at the Harrison County jail at 9 a.m. Friday.
He was previously arrested in November on a trespassing charge, but got out of jail on Jan. 25.
