JEFFERSON COUNTY — Earlier this month, Jefferson County sheriff’s detectives began investigating two attempts and one carjacking that occurred in the McCalla area according to a release from the sheriff’s office today.
A multi-jurisdictional task force was created using detectives from the sheriff’s office as well as Bessemer, Birmingham and Homewood police departments, narcotics personnel, uniformed patrol deputies and the U.S. Marshals Service. Information was shared with other agencies who were involved.
Through weeks of investigation detectives developed a suspect. On the afternoon of Oct. 27, deputies arrested Harold Tadarius Mason Jr., 18, of Birmingham. He is charged with two counts of robbery first degree for the incidents on Lowetown Road and Pocahontas Road. He remains in the Jefferson County jail with bond set at $500,000.
The first incident occurred on the evening of Oct. 4, on Lowetown Road. The 72-year-old victim reported he came upon a car that he thought was experiencing mechanical trouble. When he stopped to help, two black males pointed handguns at him and ordered him out of the car. He refused to get out and drove away. One of the suspects fired a shot that struck the radiator of the victim’s car. He was able to get away and call for help.
The second incident happened on the same night when an adult female victim reported she was travelling toward her home near Pocahontas Road when two armed black males approached her. They demanded her keys, purse and cell phone. The suspects were reportedly in a small white car. One of the suspects drove off in the victim’s 2011 black Nissan Maxima and the other followed. No shots were fired and no one was injured.
Another incident occurred on Oct. 5, when an adult female victim reported that she had been driving on Pocahontas Road near Paradise Lane. The car in front of her stopped abruptly. When she stopped a black male got out of the passenger side of the car and pointed a gun at her. He told her to get out of the car. She refused and drove off. She went to a nearby pharmacy and called 911 to report the incident. No shots were fired and no one was injured. Detectives believed these suspects may have also committed similar crimes in Bessemer, Homewood and Birmingham.
The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected.