Inset: Melissa Ann Noble (Vanderburgh County Jail). Background: Dollar Depot in Evansville, Indiana (Google Maps).
According to a probable cause affidavit, police were alerted after a Jeep narrowly missed hitting an employee at a gas station located across the street. This employee reported witnessing a woman, later identified as 34-year-old Melissa Ann Noble, allegedly steal a cellphone charger and charging block from the store before making her way to the gas station in her Jeep.
In an attempt to address the situation, the employee crossed the street to confront Noble, intending to take a photograph of her vehicle’s license plate. As he captured the image, Noble reportedly lashed out, swinging a bottle of Hawaiian Punch that struck the employee’s hand. Following this, she jumped into her Jeep, shifted it into reverse, and began backing up while the employee was still positioned behind the vehicle, the affidavit details.
Fortunately, the employee managed to evade potential injury by moving out of the way just in time. Noble then shifted into drive and veered toward the employee with apparent aggression, as if trying to strike him with the vehicle, before speeding away from the scene.
Authorities soon located Noble’s Jeep and conducted a traffic stop. Despite being read her Miranda rights, Noble declined to acknowledge them and immediately requested legal representation. Inside the vehicle, a passenger claimed ignorance of the alleged shoplifting but corroborated the employee’s account, confirming Noble’s attempt to hit him at the gas station, according to the affidavit.
Officers later spotted Noble”s Jeep and pulled her over. Cops read Noble her Miranda rights, but she refused to say whether she understood them and demanded a lawyer. A passenger inside the vehicle said she didn’t know about the shoplifting, but did confirm to cops that Noble tried to hit the employee at the gas station, the affidavit stated.
Inside the Jeep was the cellphone charger and charging block that were still in the packaging, along with the bottle of Hawaiian Punch. Noble is facing charges of attempted battery with a deadly weapon, battery and shoplifting.
As of Monday afternoon, she remained at the Vanderburgh County Jail without bond. Her next court date is scheduled for Wednesday.
