Man arrested after early morning crime spree

NACOGDOCHES COUNTY – The Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Cherino man following a crime spree early Friday morning, according to our news partner KETK.

Shortly after 5 a.m., deputies were called to a residence in the 16800 block of Farm-to-Market Road 95 S. in reference to a busted window which triggered an alarm.

About 30 minutes later, officials were called to reports of a vehicle on fire on County Road 486. The shed where the car was parked was also on fire. During the investigation, deputies observed suspicious vehicle marks in the yard along with a buttstock to a weapon that did not belong to the homeowner.

Less than 10 minutes later deputies were called to Cherino ISD, where a witness reported the police vehicle that is parked at the district was on fire. The witness was also able to give a description of the vehicle they said left the scene, which was a black Honda CRV.

The sheriff’s office says it appears someone also attempted to run a vehicle into the front doors of the high school campus. The attempt was unsuccesful, but there is damage to the building.

Almost 20 minutes later, deputies say the suspect drove to another location and hit the back porch of a home, waking the owners. When the homeowner went outside, she reported seeing a man spraying things with a can and after confronting him, he set a cushion on a bench on fire. The woman was able to grab the item and throw it in the yard.

The woman told officials the man ‘told her he was sorry,’ but then struck their vehicle as he drove away.

Within the next 10 minutes, the sheriff’s office were called to a house on County Road 444 where the same man reportedly hit the owner’s car, which prompted a confrontation. The suspect then reportedly went to drive away when the woman confronted him again and attempted to shoot him but missed.

The sixth call of the morning lead deputies to County Road 486 where it was discovered the window of a work truck had been busted.

Deputies were able to locate the vehicle of the suspect now identified as Colton Dickerson, 30 of Cherino, on County Road 433 and took him into custody by 7 a.m.

Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office said they found multiple items at the different crime scenes or inside the vehicle, including beer bottles, liquor bottles, THC wax, a pellet gun, and other paraphernalia. During Dickerson’s arrest, deputies said he told them, “this was an FBI operation.” Dickerson has been booked into the Nacogdoches County Jail and is facing charges of arson, deadly conduct, evading arrest with a vehicle, possession of a controlled substance, and criminal mischief.

Cherino ISD has confirmed the graduation ceremony scheduled for this evening at the school will go on as scheduled.