A man wanted on numerous charges, including child endangerment, assaulting a police officer and evading arrest, has been taken into custody after a disturbance Saturday morning at a local apartment complex.
Wilmer Joe Hill, 21, of Texarkana, Texas, was arrested at 1:30 a.m. inside an apartment in the 100 block of Richmond Road.
According to reports, visitors at the apartment recognized Hill as a wanted felon and attempted to detain him until officers could arrive. The two men told officers that Hill attempted to fight them-at one point picking up a wooden shelf to use as a weapon. Once officers arrived, Hill was taken into custody without incident.
Hill's charges stem from a report Oct. 5 of a disturbance involving a kidnapping in the area of Jameson Street and Robison Road.
As officers arrived that day, a vehicle being driven by Hill emerged from the back yard of the residence at a high rate of speed. As Hill drove through the yard, he swerved the vehicle in an apparent attempt to strike Officer Misty Tyler. Tyler was able to dive out of the path of the vehicle and avoid injury. Officers pursued the vehicle west into Bowie County, where they lost sight of it in the area southwest of U.S. Highway 67 and South Kings Highway. Officers then located the unoccupied vehicle on Bottoms Road, where it was overturned in a ditch and on fire. It is believed that Hill fled into the woods prior to officers arriving.
The Bowie County Sheriff's Office and Texas Department of Public Safety assisted in the unsuccessful search for Hill or any other possible occupants of the vehicle.
The subsequent investigation revealed that Hill had been involved in altercations with family members earlier that day. After assaulting the mother of his 1-year-old daughter, Je'Nori Serenity Hill, the suspect left with the child in the vehicle he was later driving when he fled from officers. That vehicle was reported stolen.
A critical missing person alert was issued for Je'Nori Hill early Oct. 6. The child was returned home to her mother by a third party at about 10:30 a.m. that day. She had previously been last seen leaving the 3900 block of Main Street in the vehicle with Hill. Based upon circumstances, there was concern for the safety of the child.
Warrants were issued Oct. 6 for several charges stemming from the events of the previous day, including aggravated assault against a public servant, assault-family violence, evading arrest in a vehicle and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
Hill is being held in the Bi-State Jail with bond set at $251,351.
-From Staff Reports
