Naked woman who tried to steal items caught in creek
May 25—Several Cherokee County residents called authorities to report a naked woman who was eventually caught in a creek.
On May 22, Cherokee County Sheriff's Deputy Rick Ward was dispatched to Bunch to speak with the owner of a vehicle about stolen items. Nathan Fritze said he picked up a nude woman who was hitchhiking. She asked him to take her to an address so she could get help.
"Mr. Fritze said that upon arrival, he exited his vehicle and went to knock on the door of the residence when he heard the door to his truck slam shut and saw the female running off," said Ward.
Fritze noticed the woman was wearing a shirt and carrying items as she fled.
"Mr. Fritze [said] that when he returned to his vehicle, he noticed his wallet — containing his personal identification, credit cards, and other important documentation — was missing, as well as somewhere between $2,000 and $4,000 cash [and] the key fob to his vehicle," Ward wrote in his report.
Fritze gave deputies a description of the woman and said he gave her a shirt to cover up with. Ward said the woman was possibly Tahlia Poafpybitty, and they had been out with her earlier that day.
"On that call, a homeowner had reported a female knocked on the door, asking for help and to come inside the residence. Once inside, she began taking off all of her clothes," Ward said.
Deputies told Poafpybitty to get dressed, but she took off running into the woods. Deputies spent close to an hour searching for the woman but they were unable to find her. They advised dispatch the woman was only wearing pink shorts, should they get a call on her.
Dispatch told deputies there was a naked woman on State Highway 82 near the Elk Creek Bridge. Ward was advised the woman was picked up by Fritze.
"After speaking with Mr. Fritze, I proceeded to the residence where [he] was last seen [with] Ms. Poafpybitty. As I was pulling up to the driveway, I noticed the neighbor pointing to the residence I was going to," Ward said.
A woman came outside and told deputies to get Poafpybitty out of her house. Ward told the woman he would need to kick in a bedroom door that was locked, and she gave him permission to do so.
"I kicked the door and made entry into the bedroom and saw no one inside and no open windows. I then heard from outside someone yelling, 'She's running into the woods,'" said Ward.
Ward headed toward the wooded area and advised dispatch of the situation.
"I got back in my patrol unit and proceeded west on 888 Road. As I got to the low-water crossing at the creek, I looked to the north and saw a naked female in the middle of the creek, who I immediately recognized as Tahlia Poafpybitty," said Ward.
Ward went to an area where he believed the woman would emerge from the creek, and found her a short time later.
"I engaged in a foot pursuit with Ms. Poafpybitty. We ran through 75 to 100 yards of woods, then into the creek, running another 100 to 150 yards in the creek at times with a water level from knee- to waist-deep," said Ward.
The deputy caught up the Poafptybitty and arrested her. Clothes were gathered and Deputy McKinsey Fuson helped the woman dress herself. Ward asked Poafptybitty if she would tell him where the wallet was, but she said they would need to let her walk through the woods.
"With additional units on scene, a search of the area for the stolen items from Mr. Fritze's vehicle was conducted," said Ward. "Several residences were checked and about an eighth to a third of a mile from the original dress, and most of the money and the key fob to Mr. Fritze's vehicle [were] located."
Poafpybitty was transported to the Cherokee County Detention Center and booked in for third-degree burglary, resisting arrest, and public intoxication.
