Butts County deputies and other law enforcement officers have arrested two people driving a Dodge following a high speed chase. The chase started in Monroe County after a home invasion there October 13. From the Jackson-Progress Argus…. Gunfire ends high-speed chase on HWY 87 Driver believed to be connected with rash of home invasions By Stewart Voegtlin After leading Monroe and Butts County deputies on a high-speed chase that transpired over two counties, Anton Sowell brought his black Dodge sedan to a standstill on HWY 87 in Butts County once Sheriff Gene Pope fired a single round into the direction of his front passenger tire. Sowell, who was accompanied by a passenger, Zenya Concepcion, was charged by Butts County with three counts of assault with a vehicle. More charges may be pending. Pope told the Progress-Argus he believes Sowell is involved in numerous home invasions that have occurred in surrounding counties. According to authorities the chase began in Monroe County and proceeded to HWY 87. Sowell took HWY 18 towards Gray and came off HWY 18 and led deputies on a chase through a network of several dirt roads. ’Officers from both Monroe and Butts counties surrounded the area,’ said Pope. ‘I was on HWY 87 and proceeded north. I caught up to the chase and tried to do a pit maneuver but [Sowell] slammed on his brakes and turned into me. I went to his right side and he pulled into me again and that’s when I fired a shot in the direction of his engine and front passenger tire.’ The sedan had North Carolina plates, but Pope said they traced Sowell to a Clayton County address. Sowell is being interviewed by Monroe County currently and Pope believes there will be more interviews to come. From the Monroe County sheriff’s office: Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Press Release J.C. Bittick, Sheriff A man and woman were arrested today, October 13, 2009, after engaging Butts County deputies in a chase across several counties. Zenya Concepcion and Antoin A. Sowell have been arrested in Butts County after the chase ended there. The chase began earlier this afternoon on Hwy. 18 in Monroe County after a Butts County deputy traveling the highway spotted a dark gray Dodge Charger with North Carolina plates that pulled out in front of him. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle and the suspects engaged the deputy in a chase. Monroe County deputies joined the chase on Hwy. 87 and continued with Butts County in the chase until the chase was ended in Butts County. The suspects were arrested without further incident after deputies ended the chase. Concepcion and Sowell are being charged with aggravated assault on a police officer in Butts County as a result of actions taken during the chase. In Monroe County the pair will be charged in the Sept. 23, 2009 burglary of a home in Monroe County on Old Oak Drive in which the suspects kicked in the back door of a home while the homeowner was at the residence. The suspects fled the home without taking anything. These two suspects are believed to be involved in over 20 burglaries in Monroe, Lamar, Spalding, Butts and Pike Counties. The suspects are being held at the Butts County Jail. Mugshots can be obtained from the Butts County Jail The fleeing Magnum apparently crashed at least once during the chase. The pursuit ended on Hwy. 87 near the Jackson city limits at about 1 p.m. after Butts sheriff Gene Pope rammed the suspect vehicle with his patrol car. A helicopter was called in to search for a third black male who fled on foot. A similar vehicle and several males are suspected in multiple burglaries here and throughout the middle Georgia area. They also have at least one alleged home invasion to their credit. More on this story as it develops. Readers in the area who may have witnessed the chase are encouraged to report in.
Be First to Comment