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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Friday, October 17, 2008 10:12 PM CDT
Man arrested on attempted murder charge

By DAVE FOPAY & HERB MEEKER, Staff Writers
editorial@jg-tc.com

CHARLESTON — A man was arrested for domestic battery and attempted murder Friday afternoon shortly after he attacked a woman in Charleston, police said.

Lt. John Bennett of Charleston police said Justin T. Thomason, 29, 508 DeWitt Ave., Mattoon, went to Security Finance, 616 W. Lincoln Ave., about 1 p.m. and confronted the woman, his former girlfriend. Thomason was arrested at 1:26 p.m. near Mattoon after officers across the county assisted with the investigation.

The woman was cut on the hand but didn’t need hospitalization, Bennett said. He said Thomason, who suffered a minor injury as well, was arrested on preliminary charges of aggravated domestic battery and attempted murder; he wouldn’t elaborate on further details of the assault.

“We were called to Charleston Plaza and found the incident had occurred at Security Finance,” said Bennett. “Thomason had fled. We were told he went eastbound through the parking lot and then entered University Drive.”

Thomason was headed to Mattoon when he was arrested at Rest Haven Cemetery in Mattoon. He was taken to County County Jail where he was incarcerated on the preliminary charges.

Initial reports on the incident indicated Thomason was attempting to abduct the woman. Bennett said there was no evidence to indicate that occurred. He added children were not involved in the confrontation at Charleston.

Mattoon Police Chief Dave Griffith said the arrest went without a hitch Friday after the Thomason’s car drove past Douglas-Hart Nature Center where Mattoon Police were on the lookout for him after receiving a report from Charleston police.

Bennett said the cooperation of other law enforcement agencies, including Mattoon Police, Coles County Sheriff’s Department, Coles County Probation, Eastern Illinois University Police and Illinois State Police, was a key factor in ending the suspect search so quickly — within 20 minutes.

“It was absolutely fantastic. It’s my understanding everything with the arrest went without incident,” Bennett said.

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blackhawk wrote on Oct 18, 2008 12:54 PM:

" Well done men! "