A bank robbery suspect is in custody Wednesday afternoon after a high-speed chase ended in a spectacular crash at one of Coweta County’s busiest intersections.
Newnan bank robbery, chase
FOX 5’s Doug Evans was on the scene within minutes and shared a live report on FOX 5 News Live.
The incident started at the Regions Bank on Bullsboro Road in Newnan. While authorities have not yet confirmed exactly how or when they were alerted, the suspect allegedly fled the scene in a vehicle, sparking a pursuit by the Newnan Police Department and the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office.
The chase came to a violent end at the intersection of Bullsboro Drive and the Newnan Crossing bypass, an area situated between two major shopping centers.
The suspect’s vehicle, which bore Troop County license plates, lost control and became wedged between a light pole and a tree.
Following the wreck, the suspect attempted to flee on foot through a Burger King parking lot and into a nearby shopping center. However, the escape was short-lived. A sheriff’s deputy deployed a K-9 that quickly “took this guy down” and brought the suspect into custody.
Who was arrested?
Despite the pursuit occurring in a very busy street, no injuries were reported among bystanders in the bank or the parking lot.
Authorities have not yet released the name of the man taken into custody.
It remains unclear how authorities were first alerted to the robbery or if a weapon was used during the encounter inside the bank.
Investigators are working to determine if the car used in the getaway, which carried Troop County plates, was stolen or belonged to the suspect.
Officials have not specified the full list of charges the suspect will face in connection to the robbery and the high-speed chase.
Who is K-9 Robbie?
The K-9 involved in the capture has a significant history; it was formerly the partner of a deputy killed in the line of duty two years ago following a high-speed chase in Alabama. K-9 Robbie was later reassigned to a young deputy with the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office.
The K-9 previously served with Deputy Eric Minix, a 31-year-old officer with the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office who was struck and killed by an Alabama police vehicle during a high-speed chase on Interstate 85 in January 2024. Following the tragedy, Robbie was reassigned to another deputy within the same department.
