Clayton News Daily

By Ed Brock

A carjacking near Jonesboro led to a police chase and ended in an accident in Riverdale.

Donald Jones, 53, was charged with robbery, aggravated assault, driving under the influence and giving a false name to police in connection with the incident, Clayton County Police Capt. Jeff Turner said.

Around 2:08 a.m. 21-year-old Shanekia Howard of Riverdale was stopped in her 2000 Chevrolet Blazer at the intersection of Tara Boulevard and North Avenue when a man approached her and grabbed her through the open window, Turner said.

The man told Howard to pull over to the side of the road, but after pulling to the side Howard then tried to drive away. She stopped when the man grabbed her throat, then she got out of the car and tried to run away.

"As she ran from him he pulled her braids from her scalp," Turner said.

Howard got away, after which the man got into the Blazer and drove away.

Around 2:18 a.m. Riverdale Police Officer Charles Catley spotted the Blazer at Church Street and Ga. Highway 85 and called for backup, Riverdale interim Police Chief Greg Barney said. When they tried to stop the vehicle the driver drove away, leading the Riverdale officers on a chase down Church Street to King Road and then to Walker Road where the Blazer crashed in a wooded area.

The driver, identified as Jones, had to be chased on foot a short distance before being arrested.