Five citizens to be recognized by city of Woodstock for assisting officer during pursuit

WSBTV.com News Staff
·2 min read
20

Woodstock police will recognize several citizens on Monday for their help in the successful apprehension of an Atlanta man suspected of several crimes.

On Thursday, August 3, at about 4:20 p.m., a Woodstock police officer saw a vehicle speeding and making unsafe lane changes on Interstate 575 southbound.

As the vehicle exited I-575 onto Towne Lake Parkway, the officer followed behind in an attempt to perform a traffic stop.

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Jaxson Rupert showed the officer where the vehicle had traveled into the Park at Towne Lake apartment complex.

Justin Shubert told the officer that the suspect left his vehicle and was running on foot.

Police set up a perimeter and the foot pursuit took officers through the Deer Run subdivision, along the sound barrier of I-575, and then onto I-575.

Another officer ran after the suspect on foot when James Stokes offered to help the officer by letting him get in the bed of his pickup truck to continue the pursuit.

Stokes then helped boost the officer over a barrier.

An off-duty officer with the Cobb County Police Department, Lieutenant Lee Turman, gave the officer a ride back to his patrol vehicle where Stokes had returned to the patrol vehicle to keep it secure until the officer could return.

The foot pursuit of the suspect continued into the area of Ravenwood Drive.

The suspect entered an occupied home before running out the back door as officers located him.

Police say the suspect then made his way to the front porch of Henry Higgins’s home and Higgins attempted to stop the suspect until officers arrived and took him into custody.

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The suspect was identified as Bailey Avey, 21, of Atlanta.

“This incident is proof that Woodstock has the best citizens in the state of Georgia. Each of these citizens displayed courage, determination, and support for the safety and security of our city. Their actions on this day are to be commended. Without their assistance, we may not have been successful in the quick apprehension of Mr. Avey,” Woodstock’s Police Chief Robert L. Jones said.

Avey is charged with reckless driving, fleeing & attempting to elude, theft by receiving stolen property, driving on a suspended license, five counts of obstruction, and criminal trespass.

The five citizens who assisted the officer in his pursuit will be recognized at the Mayor and City Council meeting on August 28 at 7 p.m. at the Chambers at City Center in downtown Woodstock.

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