Tuesday, Jan. 15 just before 3 p.m., a Garland Police Department traffic officer was working school zone enforcement in the area of South Garland Road and Avenue B. The officer observed a blue minivan traveling 40 mph through an active school zone. A traffic stop was initiated and the driver initially stopped in the middle of the street, exited the vehicle and began yelling at the officer.
The driver returned to his vehicle and continued driving, finally stopping in a parking lot. He is identified as 47-year-old Stoffon Lorains Cooper.
While speaking with Cooper, he made statements to the officer that he was “God.” This statement and his actions in the middle of the street concerned the officer about Cooper’s mental health. Officers discovered Cooper had traffic warrants and attempted to arrest him for those warrants.
Cooper began driving away leading officers on a low speed vehicle pursuit. The Department of Public Safety helicopter and the Dallas Police Department were requested to assist. After pursuing Cooper for some time, through the Garland and Dallas areas, the pursuit was discontinued.
The DPS helicopter continued to follow Cooper where he ultimately stopped in the parking lot of a convenience store in the area of Abrams Road and Northwest Highway. Cooper went inside the store and when he walked back out of, he was taken into custody by Dallas police officers. Cooper had a large machete style knife strapped to his side.
Garland police officers arrived and transported Cooper to the Garland jail where he is charged with Evading Arrest and the traffic warrants.