East Tennessean

Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: News

From left, Chief Jack Cotrel and Public Safety Lt. Mike Orr stand outside the Public Safety office. [Click to enlarge]

The suspect wanted in the ETSU carjacking incident was arrested Friday in Oakland, Calif., after being pulled over for a routine traffic stop.
"He was playing his music too loud and they have an ordinance there that if they can hear your music within 50 feet, they can pull you over for that - and so he got pulled over," said Lt. Mike Orr of ETSU Public Safety.
The suspect, David Lee Forney II, 11 Brooklawn Court, Johnson City, is currently being held in California until further notice. "There's a possibility that he might be coming back to this area in about two weeks," Orr said. "It depends on how the federal government wants to proceed with it."
The carjacking took place in the parking lot behind the D.P. Culp Center on the afternoon of Nov. 11. The suspect's dog, Roxy, was wearing a tag with a phone number. Roxy was accidentally left at the scene, an act that led police to Forney's house.
If proven guilty, the suspect could be charged with carjacking and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
These charges would probably mean a minimum jail sentence of 15 years if he were convicted, Orr said. The stolen vehicle, a 2004 black Mustang convertible, is currently being held in an impound lot until further notice. The owner's insurance company will probably be responsible for either returning the car to the owner or reimbursing her, Orr said.
Jack Cotrel, director of Public Safety, said that students have not been showing any fear or concern over the incident.
"I think Dr. (David) Collins tried to address the issue of the choice not to utilize the siren or text messaging system and, you know - I think he did a very good job of explaining why it wasn't used," Cotrel said.

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