Apollo suspect facing charges in new case

Published 10:05 am Friday, April 22, 2016

One of four men charged with robbing Apollo Liquor & Superette has been charged with another crime.

Leonard Lamar Booth, 25, of Rochester was charged Thursday with felony theft and fifth-degree assault and driving after cancellation as inimical to public safety, both gross misdemeanors.

At about 7:10 p.m. on Tuesday, Austin Police Officers were dispatched to the 400 block of 27th Street Southwest on a report of a stolen vehicle.

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Officers talked to the victim, who said she arrived at her home that evening and found Booth waiting there. She told him to leave her alone but he said he was taking the vehicle and she refused, according to the police report.

He grabbed the car keys out of her hand and went to the car, a 2003 Chrysler Sebring, where a seven-year-old boy was standing by the driver side door. Booth pushed the child out of the way, resulting in scrapes on the boy’s right knee.

The boy’s mother was standing behind the vehicle to prevent Booth from leaving, but he started backing up and she moved out of the way.

The victim gave officers a copy of the title, which indicated she bought it on March 1, 2016, but hasn’t submitted the title yet to reflect proper ownership.

Officers were informed the vehicle was driving east on Interstate 90. When they stopped him, Booth told officers he didn’t have a driver’s license, no insurance because he had just purchased the vehicle off of Craigslist from someone in Stewartville, but he didn’t know their name. He also said he had gotten a DWI in the victim’s vehicle and it had been impounded so he needed another vehicle, the report said.

Booth and three other men allegedly robbed Apollo Liquor on Nov. 25, 2015, taking four bottles of cognac worth about $204. The suspects initially fled in a vehicle and then on foot before officers caught up with them and took them into custody.

Booth pleaded not guilty to simple robbery and theft, both felonies, on Dec. 10, 2015.

Booth’s next court appearance for the robbery is slated for April 25. His next court appearance for the newest charges is slated for May 5.