'Car Hopping,' Shooting Incident Leads To Arrest Of Three Teens

CARTERSVILLE, GA — Three teenagers — two from Bartow County and one from Lumpkin County — were arrested in connection with a “car hopping” and shooting incident in July near Cartersville.

Madison Elizabeth Hanson, 17, of White; Austin Hodges Simmons, 19, of Cartersville; and Austin Blake Smith, 18, of Dahlonega; were booked on July 28 into the Bartow County Jail on charges of aggravated assault using a firearm, according to WBHF Community Radio.

Hanson and Simmmons were also charged with entering a motor vehicle with intent to commit a crime, and Smith was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The charges follow an incident in Bramblewood Estates in the early-morning hours of July 25.

According to the police report, witnesses said they spotted the trio “car hopping” — stealing valuables from multiple vehicles in the same area, moving quickly from one car to the other — while cruising through the neighborhood.

When residents gave chase, at least five gunshots came out of the trio’s car near the intersection of Mission Road and Road 2 South.

Nobody was injured.