05-11-2013 Aggravated Robbery/Burglary

MAY 11, 2013.

PRESS RELEASE

ParkerCounty Sheriff’s deputies, investigators and Weatherford-Parker County Fugitive Apprehensive Strike Team members along with U.S. Marshals were called after a burglar alarm call led to a burglary and aggravated robbery.

ParkerCounty Sheriff Larry Fowler said the incident began at 7 a.m., Saturday, May 11, 2013, when a neighbor checked on a residence burglar alarm in the 7000 block of Tucker Road in Azle, ParkerCounty.

The neighbor encountered a pair of suspects attempting to escape the property. The two suspects fled in stolen vehicles filled with stolen property from the residence and ran into the neighbor, identified as a 63-year-old male. The neighbor attempted to block the path of the male and female suspects.

The male suspect managed to pass the neighbor, fleeing the scene in a stolen 2008 Mercedes, belonging to the homeowners. The neighbor then used his vehicle to block the female suspect, who was driving a stolen 2007 Ford Expedition, which was reported stolen out of Fort Worth.

The neighbor reported the female suspect intentionally rammed the neighbor’s new 2013 GMC pickup truck with the stolen Expedition, causing several thousand dollars worth of damage. Deputies arrived to find the female suspect injured from the crash with the stolen Expedition resting in a ditch.
Paramedics were called to the scene and the female suspect was taken to an AzleHospital for treatment, but was later released.

Sheriff’s investigators and FAST members conducted an extensive investigation, discovering the male suspect’s identification and location.

Sheriff’s investigators identified the suspects as of Sonya Ann Grams-Downs, 27, of Fort Worth, and Andrew Loyd Grams, 28, of Springtown. Sheriff’s investigators obtained warrants for the arrests of the suspects in connection with the case.

Both suspects were apprehended several hours later in Fort Worth. FAST members detained them at a hotel parking lot off of Interstate 35, north of Fort Worth.

Sheriff’s investigators said Grams and Grams-Downs had checked out of the hotel and were located in a Chevrolet pickup in the parking lot of the hotel, attempting to leave. The case is still ongoing. Bond had not been set for either suspect as of early Saturday evening. Grams was booked into the Parker County Jail and charged with burglary of a habitation. Grams-Downs was also booked into the Parker County Jail and was charged with aggravated robbery.

The Mercedes was recovered in Azle, abandoned in a church parking lot with the stolen property still inside. The Expedition was recovered at the scene with the stolen property inside the vehicle. It sustained extensive damage to the front end.

Sheriff Fowler said the successful apprehension of the suspects was due to the quick response of FAST members, U.S. Marshals, Sheriff’s deputies and investigators.

“This case could have turned out much differently,” Fowler said. “The investigative measures of our officers and deputies are to be commended. They teamed together to make a positive outcome with the arrests of the suspects involved.”