Newton Citizen

COVINGTON -- A 51-year-old Oxford woman was injured when she was dragged through the Walmart parking lot on Industrial Boulevard around 12:45 p.m.Wednesday, according to the Covington Police Department.

Public Information Officer Capt. Ken Malcom said the woman was loading groceries in the trunk of her vehicle in the parking lot when a maroon Ford Fusion passed by.

"The vehicle made a second pass. As the female continued loading her groceries into her car, a white female leaned out of the maroon vehicle and grabbed her purse from the Walmart buggy. Realizing she was being robbed, the victim attempted to grab her purse."

Malcom said the woman became entangled with her purse and was dragged approximately 300 yards through the Walmart parking lot.

A lookout was given on the maroon Fusion and approximately 15 minutes later a vehicle matching the description bearing Wisconsin plates 625 LYH was spotted by CPD Officer Brian Capps on Almon Road at Interstate 20, Malcom said.

"When Officer Capps checked the vehicle registration information, it returned that the vehicle was stolen out of Wisconsin and he attempted to stop the vehicle," Malcom said. "When he activated his emergency equipment, the vehicle fled westbound on Interstate 20."

The chase continued through Newton County into Rockdale County and through DeKalb County where the fleeing vehicle caused a crash on I-20. The Ford Fusion then exited I-20 on Martin Luther King Boulevard.

"At this point in the chase, a Georgia State Patrol trooper arrived to assist," Malcom said. "Heavy traffic aided the officers and they were able to pin this vehicle and stop it."

Officers then arrested the male and female occupants of the vehicle.

The victim who was dragged was transported to an Atlanta area hospital for treatment. Her injuries are not life-threatening.

Officer Capps sustained minor injuries during the arrest of the suspects.

"This investigation is still in its initial stages, but we are confident that the excellent work of Officer Capps has helped solve this case," Malcom said.

The names of the suspects and their charges had not been released at press time.