Police last week arrested a Fort Worth man accused of making terroristic threats after he allegedly threatened to murder his ex-girlfriend’s children at a Euless elementary school.
According to authorities, Jerrekus Pendleton, 34, had gotten into a car accident with his girlfriend’s car and claimed she owed him money for repairs. He allegedly assaulted her over the matter on October 4.
The next day, he continued to insist that she owed him money, which she refused to give him.
What followed was a slew of text messages and voicemails in which Pendleton allegedly threatened that he and two of his friends would murder her children, who attend Oakwood Terrace Elementary School in Euless, according to the arrest warrant affidavit, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The school’s principal called the Euless Police Department, stating that a parent of an Oakwood Terrace student, Pendleton’s ex-girlfriend, had reported a possible threat against the school.
“Our officers were on a first-name basis with some of our principals. They have our phone numbers, and so it helps communication really fast,” stated Brenda Alvarado of the Euless Police Department, speaking with Fox 4. “We were able to set up a secure perimeter at the school very quickly.”
Oakwood Terrace was put on lockdown, and students were dismissed in a “controlled release” under the supervision of law enforcement, according to Euless police.
While she was at the Euless police station, Pendleton’s ex-girlfriend continued to receive communications from Pendleton.
Pendleton, a Mississippi native, at some point, ended up on a four-way call with two Euless police officers and his mother, who still lives in Mississippi. Officers attempted to get him to turn himself in but to no avail.
The following day, October 6, authorities issued a warrant for Pendleton’s arrest on charges of making a felony terroristic threat, per CBS DFW.
For almost two weeks, Pendleton was a fugitive.
Alvarado told Fox 4, “[Pendleton] did not turn himself in, so we did work with the Texas attorney general’s fugitive squad in locating his whereabouts and took him into custody this Monday.”
Pendleton is currently being held in Tarrant County Jail on a $15,000 bond.
His bond is way too low considering the assault and threats against children. He’s a violent man who lacks personal responsibility and decency. I’m sure his mother is disgusted with him.