Man on the Run: Alleged Coffee Shop Burglar Caught After Rooftop Standoff
A late-night snack run turned into a high-stakes chase for Travis Cottrell, who is accused of breaking into a Fort McCoy coffee shop, raiding the fridge, and leading deputies on a bizarre pursuit that ended with a rooftop standoff.
According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a burglary in progress at the Cross Roads Coffee House on East Highway 316 on November 15. The business owner, Jackie Headden, spotted an uninvited guest on surveillance video helping himself to food and drinks in the shop’s kitchen.
When deputies arrived, they found Cottrell, casually loitering on the enclosed porch. Claiming the property once belonged to his mother, Cottrell admitted he entered the business and had a soda. Things quickly went downhill when he decided to make a run for it—literally.
Ignoring commands to stay put, Cottrell dashed eastbound on Highway 316, circled a nearby Circle K parking lot, and returned to the coffee shop, barricading himself inside. Deputies surrounded the building, and the Sheriff’s helicopter, Air 1, located him on the roof.
Despite commands to come down, Cottrell held his position until a K-9 unit joined the effort. In a final, ill-fated escape attempt, Cottrell jumped from the roof—only to be greeted by a deputy’s Taser.
Investigators say video footage showed Cottrell forcing a window open to enter the business, where he rummaged through cabinets, ate food, and consumed a beverage from the fridge. Deputies later found evidence corroborating the claims, including a discarded drink can matching the stock inside the coffee shop.
Cottrell, whose criminal record includes multiple theft convictions dating back to 1997, now faces charges of burglary, petit theft, and resisting an officer. He was booked into the Marion County Jail.
One lesson from this caffeine-fueled caper? Crime doesn’t pay—but it might land you on the roof.
