Juvenile released on bond with ankle monitor for murder charge arrested in vehicle theft
Atlanta Police said a juvenile released on bond with an ankle monitor for murder and armed robbery charges was arrested for the second time in a vehicle theft.
Officers said it happened Monday afternoon on Montgomery Street in Southeast Atlanta.
“It is a little scary,” said Maranda Johnson who said she was sitting on her porch when she and her brother heard a loud crash.
“We got up to see what was going on and we saw that there was a guy throwing a brick in the back of the window,” said Johnson.
Johnson said she called 911 while her brother wrote down part of the license plate which helped Atlanta Police quickly track down the blue Honda Accord which investigators said was stolen in Meriwether County.
“After locating the vehicle there was a short pursuit and Georgia State Patrol was able to assist us in displacing the vehicle,” said Officer Donald Hannah with the Atlanta Police Department.
The chase did not end there, officers said four men got out of the car and ran. Officers caught up with 17-year-old Charles Hollis and a juvenile. Police said that juvenile was released on bond with an ankle monitor for murder and armed robbery charges.
“It is very alarming and frustrating because, you know, we cannot have citizens continue to be victimized especially by offenders that have already been through the system,” said Officer Hannah.
Inside the stolen vehicle, investigators said they found stolen items and inside the backpacks the crooks abandoned, officers said they found drugs and a gun.
The Atlanta Police Department posted about the incident on their Facebook page some people are asking why a juvenile wearing an ankle monitor, charged with serious crimes was back on the streets.
A spokesperson for the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office said prosecutors oppose bond in the majority of their cases in order to keep the community safe and that the bond decision is up to the judge. Atlanta Police said in this case, the ankle bracelet is monitored by Fulton County.
“It is upsetting to know that they’re not being tracked correctly, I feel like there is something that can definitely be helped with that,” said Johnson.
“We just want to reassure the residents of Atlanta that we are working to get these juveniles and these repeat offenders off the streets and that it is going to be a continuous effort between us and the community, to not only get them off the street, but keep them off the street as well,” said Officer Hannah.
Police said Hollis and the juvenile arrested face entering auto, theft by receiving auto and obstruction charges. Police continue to look for the other two suspects.
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