Decatur, GA — The Decatur Police Department on Feb. 28 arrested a man accused of driving a stolen pickup truck.

The arrest followed a chaotic foot chase.

An 18-year-old man is facing charges in connection with the case. Sgt. John Bender said that on Feb. 26, Decatur Police took several reports about vehicles being entered in the downtown Decatur area and a report about a stolen Ford F-250.

On Monday, Feb. 28, at 3:31 p.m. a FLOCK camera alert notified police that the stolen F-250 entered the city of Decatur. An officer saw the stolen vehicle traveling north in the 300 block of Church Street.

“Officers attempted to stop the vehicle in the upper parking lot of the Decatur Library, located within the 200 block of Sycamore Stree,” Bender said. “The driver jumped from the vehicle while it was still in motion and fled on foot running toward the Decatur MARTA Station. The vehicle continued rolling, striking the retaining wall of the parking deck.”

Officers found the suspect at the MARTA station and the suspect kept running. The suspect jumped onto the track and ran eastbound toward the Avondale MARTA station. Officers set up a perimeter and located the suspect in the 600 block of Sycamore Street. He was still on the MARTA rail line at the time. He then ran northbound over Sycamore Street toward East Ponce de Leon Avenue.

“The DeKalb County Police Department provided a K-9 unit to assist in the search for the suspect,” Bender said. “The suspect was located in the rear yard of a residence within the 600 block of East Ponce de Leon Avenue where he was arrested without incident.

When the suspect, who is from Forest Park, arrived at the jail, he “began to make very specific threats toward taking the lives of our officers,” Bender said.

The man faces the following charges:

– Theft by receiving stolen property – felony

– Terroristic threats – felony

– Obstruction of an officer – misdemeanor

– Driving while unlicensed – misdemeanor

– VGCSA possession of marijuana less than an ounce – misdemeanor

Investigators believe the man was involved in the entering autos that occurred on Feb. 26 in the downtown Decatur area. Warrants in those cases are pending.

“Decatur investigators are still working to identify a second suspect that was present on Saturday, February 26, 2022 and assisted in the thefts,” Bender said. “That suspect’s picture is attached here. If you have any information regarding the identity of this person or information in the case, please contact the Decatur Police Department at 404-373-6551 or Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 404-577-8477 and remain anonymous.”

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