Published: October 16, 2009 07:20 pm      

Suspect in college incident identified

Navarro College officials on Friday released the name of a student arrested on the Corsicana campus Thursday following a 9-1-1 call saying the man had a gun.

Jeffrey Andrew Boaz, 28, who listed a Dawson address, was arrested by college police at 5:45 p.m. Thursday after Corsicana Police spotted his vehicle driving near the Drane Hall building following the report. Boaz was charged with carrying a weapon in a prohibited place, DWI with open container, and unlawful carrying of a weapon. Boaz was arraigned by Navarro County Justice of the Peace Kirby Hill Friday morning. Hill set bonds totaling $14,000 on the charges.

Donna Parish, director of marketing and public relations for Navarro, said the incident began Thursday afternoon when Boaz knocked on a dorm room door and asked to use a restroom, according to information provided by Kraig Hawkins, college police chief.

“They allowed him access, and he came into the dorm, used the restroom, and exited the dorm,” Parish said. “He came back a few minutes later and they allowed him access ... at this point the females noticed he had some alcoholic beverages with him ... and noticed what looked like a gun in his waistband.”

Parish said the female occupants of the room then left the building.

“One of them called 9-1-1 and stated there was a man who was apparently waiving a gun in the dorm area. That was what they told the 9-1-1 operator,” Parish said.

Boaz then entered his vehicle and left the dorm area as police arrived, she said.

“They got behind his vehicle and were able to pull him over the Drane Hall parking lot, and he emerged peacefully and they made the arrest,” Parish said. Officers found the Glock Model 23 .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun under the front seat of his vehicle, she said.

Parish praised the assistance provided to campus police by Corsicana Police, including Officer Mike Perry and Cpl. Scott Tidwell.

“They were very instrumental in helping to apprehend him,” she said. The officers spotted Boaz in his vehicle approaching Drane Hall, and assisted in effecting the stop.

“It was a good cooperation between the two police departments working together, she said.

No one was injured or hurt during the incident, Parish added.

Parish said Boaz was enrolled at both Navarro College and the Texas A&M/Commerce program at the Corsicana campus.

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