Suspect jailed 3 hours after robbery
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com

It took El Campo Police only a couple of hours to hunt down and arrest a man suspected of beating and robbing a 71-year-old Wharton man early Monday morning.

According to ECPD Sgt. Russell Urban, the alleged attacker is Cornelius Curtis Gibson, 55, of 1404 Business Ave., who is now in custody on aggravated robbery and drug charges.

Urban said the victim, Wayne Rimmer, was attacked between 6:20 and 6:30 a.m. when he came to work at El Campo Production Services, 1212 W. Jackson.

"He arrives there regularly every morning at 6:30 to open the business up, and the suspect apparently knew his schedule and was waiting for him," Urban said. "Mr. Rimmer walked around to the passenger side of his truck to get his lunchbox out. The suspect ran up behind him, grabbed the back of his neck and pushed him onto floorboard of his truck."

Rimmer ended up splayed across the floorboard on his stomach, with his head under the steering wheel, Urban said.

Gibson then allegedly started spraying Rimmer with a can of gray spray paint, in his face and on his glasses.

"We're assuming it was an effort to blind or disorient him," Urban said.

"The victim was able to roll over on his back and start trying to fight back, while the suspect was telling him 'Give me your wallet, Give me your wallet," Urban said. "Somehow, the victim got the spray can away from (Gibson) and sprayed the suspect with the gray spray paint."

Gibson allegedly was able to grab Rimmer's wallet, which contained $330, and fled west, leaving his victim with cuts to his face, nose, back of his head and knuckle, and bruising under his chin and on his face.

"He was pretty shaken up," Urban said.

Rimmer gave police a good description of the suspect, "and it fit Curtis Gibson," Urban said.

"He's know to frequent that area," the detective added.

By 9 a.m. detectives learned Gibson was at 309 Gibson, went there, and were let inside by the resident.

"We found him with the same color paint on his hands and ear and face and head, and ended up finding crack (cocaine) and a crack pipe," Urban said. Gibson was arrested on the spot for possession of a controlled substance.

Police then got a warrant for aggravated robbery and were processing Gibson on that charge late Monday afternoon. The charge is aggravated because in Texas, when the victim is more than 65 years old and is injured, the charge is elevated.

Rimmer later went to the police department, and identified Gibson through a photo lineup. The victim's wallet and cash were not recovered.

Gibson remained in custody at the El Campo Municipal Jail as of presstime Tuesday.