A man is currently in custody after reportedly breaking into the Lakewood Church on Thursday evening. According to KETK, deputies responded to an apparent burglary at the church. When deputies arrived, they noticed the glass door entrance was smashed, which led them to believe the suspect had thrown a concrete lid into it. After being unable to find the culprit within the church, authorities were able to get video evidence of the break-in. Timothy Myers Poole, 48, of Tyler, was identified as the suspect based on the footage.
Later that night, as a deputy was conducting a traffic stop in north Tyler, Poole arrived and confronted him, apparently acting aggressively. According to officials, Poole was repeatedly instructed to leave the scene but refused, resulting in his detention.
Following his arrest, Poole was brought to the Smith County Jail and charged with interfering with public functions. Poole was charged with criminal mischief on Friday, after a court issued an arrest warrant for him for breaking into the church.
Poole is also a suspect in a vandalism case from earlier this week. Someone allegedly burned American flags hanging outside the Brookshire’s Conference Center on Veterans Day.
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