Two Union Point men were arrested Wednesday morning after a successful bank robbery was foiled early by both the Covington Police Department and the Newton County Sheriff’s Department.
At approximately 11:04 a.m. officers from the CPD were called about a suspicious man running away from People’s Bank on U.S. Highway 278. According to the caller, the man was carrying a backpack and had a "red fog following him." At the same time this call was coming in, so was a hold-up alarm from the bank, alerting authorities to the situation.
The caller allegedly told dispatch operators that the man had fled on foot toward Gordy Street, and when officers converged on the area they found an empty backpack approximately a block away. Bank employees described the robber and told officers that he had presented a note demanding money in specific denominations.
At the same time deputies from the NCSO were responding to a vehicle that was reportedly following the robbery suspects. According to reports, an employee of the bank was chasing the robbery suspects and was able to givetheir location to deputies who were able to stop a white Honda Acura reportedly being driven by 21-year-old Marcus Marquette Willis at Ga. Highway 11 and Interstate 20. In the passenger seat they located 17-year-old Karon Lamar Peek. Also found inside the car was the stolen money, allegedly located in the front passenger floorboard.
Both men are from Union Point and were charged with armed robbery. According to CPD Public Information Officer Lt. Wendell Wagstaff, the investigation into the robbery continues.
"I am very proud of the excellent work of the patrol deputies who quickly apprehended these robbery suspects," said NCSO Sheriff Ezell Brown. "And I am thankful that no law enforcement personnel or any citizen of Newton County was hurt during the incident."
Wagstaff pointed out that it was yet another incident of the two law enforcement agencies working well together to protect Newton County.
"It was a team effort, and we couldn’t be more pleased at how well it turned out. Nobody was injured and all evidence and money was recovered and the two people involved are now in jail and off the street."
