Three Face Charges After Alleged Assault and Robbery
By Dale Gathright, Jr., 12/21/20 2:32 PM
Jessica Williams Christopher Edwards Sheyann Helmick
HOPE – Sunday, December 20 at approximately 5:00 am, Hempstead County Deputy Manuel Rodriguez was dispatched to the 200 block of Hempstead 15 in reference to a male being assaulted and robbed by a black male and two white females. Central Dispatch advised that the caller stated that suspects left in a gray Pontiac G6 towards Highway 73 with a broken taillight.
Upon arrival Deputy Rodriguez spoke to the victim who said he was assaulted and robbed by an unknown black male, and two white females. Victim stated that “he knew one of the females and identified her as Jessica Williams.”
Victim told the deputy that he went to a gas station in North Hervey in Hope, and that he “saw Jessica and they started talking. He stated that Jessica asked him for a ride to her house.” While he was talking with Jessica at the store, he said he observed a gray vehicle passing by several times, and upon arrival at the house he observed the gray vehicle in the driveway.
Outside his car he said he observed a black male and a white female walking towards him and also allegedly saw Jessica walking towards him with a baseball bat in hand. Victim stated that the black male was holding what he believes was a short metal pipe.
The victim was then allegedly attacked by the male and the two females. Victim stated that the male hit him in the left side of the head behind his left ear. While he was attempting to defend himself, he said Jessica Williams approach him and allegedly hit him a couple of times with the bat. Victim stated the black male chased him around to the front area of the house and threw him on the ground. While the male was holding him down, the two females were allegedly taking items out of his vehicle and placing them in the trunk of the other vehicle. The male suspect advised him to stay on the ground until after they left the property.
While the deputy was at the residence, the victim advised a car passing by was the suspect vehicle. The suspect vehicle turned around and started traveling north on Hempstead 15 towards Highway 73 at a high rate of speed. Deputy Rodriguez activated his lights and sirens. The suspect vehicle allegedly failed to yield and continued to travel north on Hempstead 15. The suspect vehicle then drove into the ditch on the right side of the roadway.
Deputy Rodriguez observed two white females standing outside of the vehicle and took the two into custody. Deputy Lupe Becerra arrived on scene and placed the two females in hand restraints. The females identified themselves as Jessica Williams and Sheyann Helmick. Deputies Becerra and Rodriguez located a black male laying on his back a few feet away from the vehicle.
The male appeared to be breathing but unresponsive. EMS arrived on scene and the male suspect began to talk to the paramedics. The male identified himself as Christopher Edwards. Pafford EMS transported Edwards to Wadley in Hope where he was evaluated and released into the custody of the deputies and transported to the Hempstead County Detention Center, where he was booked on Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Robbery, Battery In the 2nd Degree, Fleeing, and Breaking or Entering. Williams and Helmick were also transported to the Detention Center where they were also booked on Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Robbery, Battery In the 2nd Degree, and Breaking or Entering.
Investigators applied for a search warrant for the suspects’ vehicle and recovered the victim’s property from the trunk of the vehicle.
