Armed Carjacking Suspects Arrested After Police Chase

ALPHARETTA, GA — Two juveniles accused of carjacking a person in Alpharetta were apprehended Thursday after a police chase on the other side of metro Atlanta. Officers with the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety responded to an armed robbery and carjacking around 6:30 p.m. Oct. 11 in a parking garage at 1000 Fanfare Way.

Officers arrived and after making sure the victim wasn't harmed, began an investigation into the incident. Detectives were able to determine the victim's car, a black BMW X1, was located at a fast food restaurant in East Point. Alpharetta investigators reached out to East Point police to help apprehend the two subjects inside the vehicle.

When East Point police arrived at the restaurant, the suspects fled the scene in the vehicle. Police pursued the car, and the chase continued on to the interstate. Atlanta police and the Georgia State Patrol joined in the pursuit, which took officers on Interstate 20 and Interstate 75/85. A state trooper, Sgt. Buckner, caught up with pursuing Atlanta police units and "assumed primary position" around 9:57 p.m. on I-75/85 southbound in the area of University Avenue, GSP spokesperson Tracey Watson said.

The vehicle refused to stop, and continued to travel southbound on I-75 where it exited at the Mt. Zion Boulevard interchange in Clayton County and got back on to I-75 northbound. Sgt. Buckner performed a PIT maneuver on the BMW just north of the Mt. Zion interchange, causing it to strike another vehicle, a Jeep Compass, while trying to recover from the maneuver. The Jeep flipped on to its roof, and its driver suffered minor injuries.

Meanwhile, the trooper drove in front of the silver Jeep and continued towards the east side of the interstate Unable to regain control of the patrol car, Sgt. Buckner drove off the east side, hit a guardrail, overturned and the patrol vehicle came to a rest against a sound barrier wall. The trooper was treated at the scene and later transported to Atlanta Medical Center for treatment, Watson told Patch.

A total of three subjects were inside the vehicle, and they bolted from the scene on foot, running west across the interstate and into a commercial area. Two of the subjects were apprehended while the third remains at large, Watson went on to say. The two subjects tried to discard two handguns in their escape attempt, but they were also recovered. One of the guns, Alpharetta police added, was reported stolen.

The trooper suffered a "significant injury" to his wrist while performing the PIT maneuver, Alpharetta police added.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with him for a speedy recovery," Alpharetta DPS said on its Facebook page.

Details on the list of charges the juveniles face were not immediately made available. Return to Patch for updates.

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Image via Alpharetta Department of Public Safety