The incident began on Friday afternoon when Cherokee County Central dispatch alerted law enforcement to a stolen vehicle from Mississippi that had been detected by a license plate reader in the Leesburg area. Dispatch further advised that the vehicle occupants were two juveniles reported missing from Tennessee and possibly armed. It was reported the subjects may be going to Georgia.
Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office personnel and Leesburg Police located the vehicle on Highway 9, near Cedar Bluff, and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The driver refused to stop, initiating a pursuit. The chase ended when the suspect drove through a yard in the Lake Place Lane area, damaging the vehicle to the point of being inoperable.
One juvenile was immediately taken into custody, but the driver fled on foot. While on the run, the male suspect confronted homeowners in the area, brandishing a firearm and demanding vehicle keys.
When law enforcement officers arrived, the suspect to flee toward Shoreline Drive, where he entered a residence and confronted the occupants, again demanding vehicle keys. The homeowners refused, and the suspect fled when additional individuals arrived at the scene.
Deputies, along with Leesburg Police, Cedar Bluff Police and a State Conservation Officer, quickly converged on the area and located the suspect near a residence on County Road 642. After a brief foot chase, the suspect was apprehended when he jumped into the Lake.
The male suspect has been charged, as an adult, with Attempting to Elude and two counts of Robbery in the First Degree. He was transported to the Cherokee County Detention Center. The case remains under investigation and other charges may be forthcoming.
According to Chief Deputy Josh Summerford, the suspect’s age of 17 means that his identity cannot be publicly released until after a probable cause hearing, even though he is charged as an adult. Once the probable cause hearing takes place, the court may allow the release of his identity.
The female juvenile was turned over to Juvenile Probation and will be transported back to Tennessee.
“This is an excellent example of multiple agencies working together to bring this situation to a safe conclusion,” Sheriff Shaver stated, “we are grateful for the swift response and cooperation that ensured public safety.”
