Man accused in Coast teen’s killing also charged with shooting at car that held his baby
A Gulfport homicide suspect now faces additional charges after police say he shot at a car that held his baby daughter.
Johnte Vidal Pouerie, 21, of Greely, Colorado, and an unnamed 14-year-old are each charged with one count of felony homicide in the Dec. 17 death of 16-year-old Lazairus Smith of Gulfport. Pouerie was being held on a $1 million bond.
But his bond got upped to $1.15 million after a Harrison County Justice Court appearance Wednesday, when Pouerie also was charged with two counts of aggravated domestic violence and one count of aggravated assault.
Documents introduced in court accuse Pouerie of shooting at a Dodge Charger in which his daughter was riding on Dec. 10.
The records indicated the girl’s mother told Pouerie she was going out to dinner. He took their daughter to the mother at Riverchase Park Apartments in Gulfport, saying the child should go with her mom to dinner.
The mother told police that she saw Pouerie in the parking lot as she rode away in a Dodge Charger driven by a male acquaintance. He had to stop the car so she could secure her daughter in her car seat.
The man driving the car said the mother returned to her seat in a hurry. She told police that she saw Pouerie running toward them. The man driving said he heard Pouerie yell, “My baby better not be in that car.”
As the driver sped away, he heard multiple gunshots, court records say. The driver was looking for the apartment complex exit but finally stopped, jumped out of the car and ran behind a building. No injuries were reported.
Police found five bullet holes in the Dodge Charger and multiple shell casings in the parking lot.
This story was originally published December 29, 2021 at 4:49 PM.
