AUSTIN — Police said Larry Berry Jr., 34, was arrested after being accused of burglarizing vehicles and attacking five people in Downtown Austin on Friday morning
According to an affidavit, a witness saw Berry breaking into a Mazda on the third floor of the Texas State parking garage around 8:30 a.m.
The witness told the parking lot attendant, age 74, who drove to the third floor to see what was going on. Once the attendant got to the third floor, he noticed the Mazda had a broken driver's side window and a white towel and fire extinguisher were sitting outside of the car. When the attendant got out of his vehicle, police said Berry appeared from between some vehicles and charged at him with a multicolored umbrella and what appeared to be a silver tire wrench. Berry reportedly started to hit the attendant with the wrench. Police said he then got back into his vehicle and put it in reverse, but Berry allegedly hung on to the driver's door of the vehicle while the attendant tried to drive away. He managed to get away from Berry before calling the police.
The attendant reportedly drove around the parking garage and then he re-entered, when he said he saw that another 71-year-old victim was lying on the ground. The attendant said he then saw Berry backing out of the parking garage in a red Toyota. The attendant tried to chase Berry but lost the suspect because of heavy traffic on San Jacinto Boulevard and Seventh Street. The attendant then drove back to the parking garage to wait on police.
Police met with the second victim, who said that after she parked her red Toyota, she didn't see anyone in the area. While she was walking towards the Capitol, she said Berry grabbed her purse and keys off of her shoulder, and then ran back to her car. She said she ran after Berry, who managed to get into her car and start backing out. She fell right behind the vehicle, but said she got out of the way, in fear that Berry would run over her.
Police said that Berry ended up leaving her Toyota behind. Then, when a third victim was at The Brown Building Lofts sitting in his car, Berry reportedly got into that car. The third victim said that he stepped out of his car and pushed Berry away, before Berry ran off and ran towards a fourth victim.
The fourth victim said that when she was leaving her Volvo, Berry grabbed her and threw her out of the way so he could get into her car. The fourth victim said Berry started to "throw things out and opened her lunch and began to throw food everywhere," before locking himself in the car. Berry eventually got out of the victim's car and reportedly ran off with her phone, clothing materials and other items.
Police said that Berry eventually got into a fifth victim's red Mercedes, threw things out and took multiple items. While Berry was in the Mercedes, a DPS trooper arrived and ordered Berry out of the vehicle. Berry then reportedly tried to run away and was chased by the trooper who also gave him commands to stop. After Berry would not stop, police said he was tased and arrested.
Berry has been charged with aggravated robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault causing bodily injury, three counts of burglary of a vehicle and evading arrest. The bond for these charges totals $112,500.
