Newton County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) deputies joined Rockdale County Sheriff’s deputies and Conyers Police Tuesday in setting up a perimeter block along highways and roads in both counties after a witness reported a hit-and-run accident taking place in a parking lot, and a home improvement store called in an attempted robbery by force a few minutes later.

The Rockdale Sheriff's Office was originally contacted by the Conyers Police Emergency Dispatch about the possible hit-and-run near Lowe’s Home Improvement Store in Conyers, according to Corp. Michael Camp of the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office. “The witness got the tags and we ran them. It came back a stolen vehicle.

“The suspect jumped into the passenger seat of the Toyota SUV; the suspects did a U-turn and ended up on Georgia Hwy. 20 headed south towards Newton County,” he said.

The vehicle, a silver Toyota SUV, thought to be a Highlander, was spotted by a deputy headed down Hwy. 138 towards Henry County, and attempted to pull it over.

The SUV, Camp reported, took off.

“Just a minute into the chase, we got called to a robbery by force at the Lowe’s Home Improvement Store,” Camp said.

Camp said just south of the five-way intersection at Highway 212, 20, 138, Brown Bridge and a Walgreen’s parking lot, the suspect vehicle crashed into a residential driveway. Two suspects fled into the nearby woods.

Using between 30 and 40 cars, Camp said, the law enforcement agencies set up a perimeter block, vehicle lights flashing, at the side of roads and blocking residential driveways along a number of Rockdale and Newton County highways and roads, including Highway 212, Brown Bridge, Oak Hill and Magnet road.

A short time later, Camp said, one suspect was arrested. The second suspect, thought to be the driver and described a black male wearing a teal sweatshirt, has not been apprehended.

“The captured suspect was brought into the Rockdale Sheriff’s Office,” Camp said. “I believe we have the robbery suspect in custody.”

He said the suspect was being checked out by medical personnel.

“It’s an active investigation and charges are pending,” Camp said. “We’re still trying to piece together what happened first, but more than likely, the alleged robbery occurred before the hit-and-run.”

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