APD Officer Foils Robbers in an Olympic Style Footrace

The released a letter this morning singing the praises of Officer Fincher, who not only was at the right place at the right time and saw 2 suspected thieves leaving the scene of their crime, but also displayed incredible foot speed to chase them down.

According to the report the Officer was in his squad car when he noticed 2 individuals in "full sprint" leaving the Cleveland Avenue parking lot and crossing traffic with no regard to oncoming cars.  The officer then stopped his car and yelled out, "Stop, what are you running for?" One of the suspects looked back at the Officer and replied, "Who me?" as he kept running.

At this point APD Officer Fincher joined the race and pursued the 2 suspects in full sprint as well.  Over the hills and thru the woods the chase went...Finally ending up in the Pavilion Place Apartments at 532 Cleveland Avenue, but still on the run.  The 2 suspects split up, other APD officers were on the way, and Officer Fincher was still in hot pursuit of one.

The report says that, "Officer Fincher was no more than twenty yards behind the arrestee as he rounded the building.  As Officer Fincher made the corner, the arrestee was not in view." 

The suspect was hiding, it seems, and Officer Fincher knew he could only be in 2 possible places. Either under a car or in one of the apartment breezeways...

"(The) Arrestee was found attempting to hide in the southern breezeway of building number six, which he does not reside.  (The) Arrestee was sweating and breathing heavily. (The) Arrestee was detained without force or further incident."

Later 9-1-1 Dispatch informed the officers that there was a pedestrian robbery call at 2685 Metropolitan Parkway SW, and this individual was charged with the crime and taken to Fulton County Jail.

Well Done, Officer Fincher!!!

Read the Complete Police Report:

On 1 June 2012 at 12:35 a. m., Officer Fincher was traveling west on Cleveland Avenue Southwest en route to a noise complaint call at 445 Pegg Road S. W.  As he approached the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Metropolitan Parkway Southwest, he observed two black males in a full sprint from the parking lot of the Kroger Shopping Center at 2685 Metropolitan Parkway Southwest heading southeast toward the CVS Pharmacy at 2720 Metropolitan Parkway Southwest.  The males were running in unison and appeared to be together as they darted across Cleveland Avenue with vehicular traffic present within one thousand feet and crosswalks provided.   Officer Fincher believed the males to be fleeing a serious crime so he yelled at the males, “Stop! What are you running for?!”

The black male wearing a white t-shirt and red shorts, later identified as Evic Romone Lewis (Arrestee) looked directly at him and stated, “Who? Me?” as he continued to run.  Officer Fincher again ordered the males to “STOP NOW!” Arrestee and his companion (Suspect – Black Male, approximately twenty years of age wearing a black t-shirt, jean pants, black and white sneakers and a low-cut hairstyle) ignored Officer Fincher’s lawful commands and fled on foot southeast into the wood line to the east of the CVS property.  Officer Fincher exited his patrol car in full uniform and gave chase on foot as he advised Zone Three Radio of his situation.  He continued to chase the males as they ran through the dark woods and into the east side of the Pavilion Place Apartments at 532 Cleveland Avenue Southwest.  Once on the property, the arrestee and the Suspect took a more southerly flight into the complex.  Officer Fincher remained in pursuit of Arrestee since he had the most noticeable clothing when the two separated near the number three building.  The Suspect ran due south toward the rear of the complex as Arrestee made an east turn and down the steep hills toward the number five building.  Several marked Atlanta Police Units were responding and already arriving in the complex at this point.

The arrestee observed a marked patrol car entering the complex and made a due south turn around the northeast corner of building number six.  Officer Fincher was no more than twenty yards behind the arrestee as he rounded the building.  As Officer Fincher made the corner, the arrestee was not in view.  Officers Collins and Green were in the patrol car I had observed and were running towards Officer Fincher.  They had not observed the arrestee continuing to run, which meant he had to be hiding underneath a parked vehicle or was inside one of the breezeways of the number six building.  Arrestee was found attempting to hide in the southern breezeway of building number six, which he does not reside.  This was not the actions of a law-abiding citizen and created reasonable alarm to the public.  Arrestee was sweating and breathing heavily.  Arrestee was detained without force or further incident.  Shortly after Arrestee was taken into custody, Zone Three Radio advised that 9-1-1 had just received a pedestrian robbery call at 2685 Metropolitan Parkway Southwest.  Mr. Evic Romone was charged with Robbery and taken to the Fulton County Jail.