Man booked on 11 drug, other charges

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Mobile County Sheriff's Deputies said a Wilmer man may have learned a good lesson about breaking into homes, after what he went through Tuesday, February 19.

Sergeant Joe Mahoney with the Sheriff's Office said, "Apparently, he chose the wrong neighborhood to try to break into houses."

CHARLES TOWNSEND ARRESTED

Charles Townsend was wearing a big bandage on his head in his mug shot.

Deputies said it all started when they got a call Tuesday night about a break-in in a neighborhood in the area of Cuss Fork Loop Road.

Mahoney said, "The first house he (Townsend) goes to, he enters through an unlocked front door and is chased out by a pit bull. The homeowner then tried to chase after him as well, but lost him in the area."

WHAT NEXT?

Deputies said that apparently wasn't enough for Townsend, and he tried to break in another house.

Mahoney said, "The homeowner, in that case, came around to the front of the house, caught him, subdued him. And at that point, the neighborhood kind of rallied around together. We had a group of people who were able to detain Mr. Townsend until deputies arrived and were able to take him into custody."

RESIDENTS IN THE AREA REACT

Tasha Vickers said she hadn't heard about the incident, but had heard of Townsend.

Vickers said, "I mean, people change. But if he's doing the same thing, that's who he was years ago."

Vickers said she and her neighbors feel safe in the area.

One of the neighbors said, "We've got cameras around here. They ain't coming out here. I've got cameras so I don't think they want to mess around my house. "

CHARGES AGAINST TOWNSEND

As for the charges, Mahoney said, "He has the two burglary charges from last night, the possession of controlled substance, being the meth. He also had outstanding warrants for his arrest, all stemming from his drug business. He had the manufacturing charge, possession charge , and he had a plethora of traffic charges as well."