Golf Balls Lead to Shreveport Arrest, Charges

The discovery of a bunch of golf balls lead to a day-long investigation by Shreveport police and firefighters.  

It all started about 11:30 this morning when firefighters at Station-8 on the State Fairgrounds discovered a bunch of golf balls in the lot where they park their personal vehicles.  Fearing that some of their vehicles might have been damaged, they called police. Sergeant Bill Goodin says officers who responded found dozens of golf balls in and around the parking lot and noticed that some of them had what might be considered racial words and phrases written on them.

While investigating, the officers saw another golf ball go sailing by.  They also spotted a man nearby holding a golf club.  When they tried to approach him he took off running, but Goodin says they were able to catch him a short distance away.  He was identified as 45-year-old Christopher Sheldon and was found to be in possession of a small amount of suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

The officers also learned that Sheldon had been living nearby in a house on Velva St. and obtained consent to search the house.  While doing so, the officers discovered what they're calling a "suspicious device."  They immediately left the house and called the fire department.  Fire investigators then spent the rest of the afternoon trying to determine what it was and how best to deal with it.  No word, yet, on what it turned out to be.

Sheldon was arrested and booked into the Shreveport City Jail on charges of criminal mischief, possession of Schedule I narcotics, and possession of drug paraphernalia.     The investigation continues.