Police Arrest Suspect after Alleged Crime Spree

TYLER — Tyler Police arrested Russell Lane Thompson, 34, of Tyler, at 10:35 Monday morning in connection to the aggravated robbery that occurred Saturday at a local Walgreens, but that’s just part of the story.

Saturday morning around 8:00, Lane was stopped by Tyler police and charged with driving while intoxicated. Lane bonded out of Smith County Jail later that day. Around 5:00 that afternoon, an aggravated robbery occurred at Brookshire’s Pharmacy on Highway 155 South near Lake Palestine. That is being investigated by the Smith County Sheriff’s Department. Lane is a suspect in that case. That night around 7:00, Lane allegedly walked into the Walgreens at South Broadway and Rieck Road and held up the pharmacy at gunpoint, taking numerous pills. Police searched the area and failed to locate him.

Just over an hour and 15 minutes later, the Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol stopped Lane in Jacksonville for DWI. During the course of the arrest, the Trooper located evidence in Lane’s vehicle that police say was connected to the robbery at Walgreens. After Lane was taken into custody he became unconscious due to a drug overdose, according to police. Lane was flown to Mother Frances Hospital by helicopter from Jacksonville and was admitted into the ICU. Tyler Investigators secured an arrest warrant on Lane for aggravated robbery and served it when he was released from the hospital Monday morning. Lane is currently in the Smith County Jail with a bond set at $400,000 by Judge Christi Kennedy.