Police nab two after dispute call
By Lori Thomason

Ford

When Bullard Police Officer Bryan Richards was called out to a disturbance on Wednesday, he didn't realize he would end up capturing someone Tyler police were actively seeking.

"Someone called in about a man and woman fighting around Almarion Street," Richards said. "When I arrived, there was a woman who was visibly distraught."

The woman, 29-year-old Jennifer Rodden, initially refused to identify the man she was fighting with, according to Richards.

But she was in some legal trouble, too.

"While I was running her information, looking for warrants, the man fitting the description called in by witnesses approached the scene," Richards said.

Richards discovered Rodden had a warrant for her arrest for assault on a public servant.

Richards called in for backup, and Officer John Walker responded.

"Once we got Ms. Rodden in custody, we began to question the man," Richards said.

The man, 21-year-old Mack Ford, was a "person of interest," according to Richards.

"Officer (Shawn) Johnson got a call a few weeks ago from someone at the Tyler Police Department who said Ford was in our area," Richards said. "And we've been watching for him."

Rodden

Ford, who has about $3,000 in outstanding Tyler warrants, is on deferred adjudication from a 2005 Tyler arrest for drug possession. Tyler police asked for Bullard's cooperation, and Richards said Johnson - who is Bullard' drug officer, along with K-9 dog Axe - were keeping an eye on the area they suspected Ford to be.

But it was just circumstance, Richards said, that brought it all together.

"While questioning Ford, we saw a baggie hanging out of the pocket of his jacket," Richards said.

The officers asked Ford what he had, and he pulled out a baggie containing five hydrocodone pills and 20 darvocet. The officers then patted him down and found 7.7 grams of crack/cocaine.

The charges filed equal to three felony charges for Ford - two second-degree felonies and one state jail felony.

Bond was set at a total of $60,000 for the charges.

Ford remains in custody in Smith County.

Rodden was also taken to Smith County Jail, where she's being held on a $30,000 bond.