Suspect wanted in attempted armed robbery

Published 6:00 am Tuesday, February 7, 2017

By Melanie Ruberti

Melanie.ruberti@lagrangenews.com

Public Safety Reports

LaGrange police are looking for a man they say attempted to rob American Tax Service, in the 500 block of South Greenwood Street, just after 10 a.m. Monday.

Sgt. Robert Kirby said victims reported a man came in to the business “completely covered” and armed with a pistol. He asked an employee, who was inside the business with at least two customers, for money.

When the suspected robber was told there was no money in the business he left on foot. Police were reviewing business surveillance footage of the incident in hopes of identifying the man.

The victims described the suspect as African American, about 6 feet tall, slender build, wearing blue sweatpants, a gray hooded sweatshirt and a mask covering his mouth and nose.

The man was estimated to be around 40 years of age.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact the LaGrange Police Department at 706-883-2603 or Troup County Crime Stoppers at 706-812-1000. Callers may remain anonymous.

Man slashes girlfriend, another woman with knife

 LaGrange police are searching for a man who allegedly beat up his girlfriend and cut her with a knife when she tried to leave their home in the 100 block of Webster Street just after 7 a.m. on Monday.

The altercation began two hours earlier when the couple started arguing, according to the police report. The argument turned physical when the man allegedly choked the victim while she was in bed and pulled her hair.

The woman’s son reportedly confronted the suspect and attempted to take his mother from the home, the police report stated. The man allegedly took out a knife, chased them out into the street and while attempting to pull the victim away, cut her left hand.

During the struggle, the suspect also reportedly slashed another woman across the chest, police said.

Neither woman was seriously hurt.

The man then left the scene in a car.

LPD investigators issued arrest warrants for the man and charged him with two counts of battery, one count of battery under the Family Violence Act and false imprisonment.

Business burglarized

Investigators with the LaGrange Police Department are reviewing surveillance video in hopes of finding the person(s) who broke into the Marathon gas station at 101 West Lukken Industrial Drive about 7:45 p.m. on Sunday.

LPD officers said the perpetrator(s) got inside the store by using a brick to shatter glass on the front door, the report stated.

The store owner told police the only items stolen were 36 packs of Newport cigarettes valued at $250.

The cost to fix the front door was estimated around $600, the report stated.

Police are investigating.

Suspect steals wheelchair

A woman told LaGrange police someone stole her Hoverround power wheelchair off the front porch of her home in the 200 block of Dawson Street.

The victim said the theft happened sometime between 11 p.m. on Saturday through noon on Sunday, according to the report.

The black and red wheelchair was valued at $300, the victim stated.

DUI arrest

One man was arrested around 1:30 a.m. on Monday after speeding through a red light at the intersection of Youngs Mill Road and Commerce Avenue.

When a LaGrange police officer pulled the driver over, he smelled a strong odor of alcohol, according to the report.

The driver allegedly failed a field sobriety test and blew a .156 into the Alco-Sensor, the police report stated.

The man was charged with DUI less safe and violating a traffic control device.

 1 accident, 2 cars, 0 drivers

A LaGrange police officer responding to a two-car accident with injuries discovered both drivers disappeared from the scene before he arrived.

The crash happened about 11:45 p.m. on Sunday at the intersection of Troup Street and Forrest Avenue.

The officer found a black Honda Accord sitting off the roadway with extensive front end damage, the report stated. He also found car debris littering the area, but could not locate the second vehicle.

Both drivers apparently fled the scene: one in their car and the second on foot.

The LPD officer attempted to find the owner of the Honda Accord, but was unable to make contact with the owner.

All information in this report is gathered from official law enforcement and public safety reports and releases. It is the policy of the Daily News to list the names of people charged with felonies.

Reach the LaGrange Daily News at 706-884-7311.