Four suspects were arrested on Thursday, January 11, for allegedly robbing a convenient store in Bainbridge. The suspects were stopped in Miller County, and one escaped as they were being questioned.

On January 11, 2007, Georgia State Trooper 750, called Miller County Dispatch and advised that an armed robbery had just occurred in Decatur County. Three black males with ski type masks left Decatur County, believed to be travelling north on State Highway 310 into Miller County.

The trooper asked if there were any available county or city units to respond. Miller County Deputy Robert Grier was on 27 south of Colquitt, near the Miller/Decatur County line, and advised Miller dispatch that he would be responding to watch Highway 310.

Deputy Grier turned on to Whites Bridge Rd., traveling west to the intersection of Whites Bridge Rd. and Highway 310. As he arrived at the intersection, he saw a vehicle coming from the south, traveling north on Highway 310. There was no other traffic on Highway 310 or Whites Bridge at the time.

The vehicle approached the intersection and made a left turn onto Whites Bridge, traveling west. Deputy Grier followed the vehicle and advised dispatch the tag number on the vehicle and that it was on a white Honda and continued to follow the vehicle.

The vehicle turned right onto Twilight Rd., without slowing down. At that time Deputy Grier engaged his blue lights on his patrol car to make a traffic stop. The vehicle pulled over, and Deputy Grier made contact with the driver, Jermario Shuler.

The front seat passenger,

Gwendolyn Morgan, told Deputy Grier that the vehicle belonged to her. Jermario and Gwendolyn were asked for their driver's licenses and proof of insurance, which they produced.

Deputy Grier, along with Colquitt Police Officer Hollis Smith that had arrived as back-up, asked Gwendolyn Morgan for consent to look in her vehicle and were told that an armed robbery had occurred in Decatur County and that Deputy Grier wanted to clear them as to whether they were involved.

Gwendolyn consented for the officers to look in the trunk, which was filled with clothes. Investigator Green of Decatur County called Deputy Grier by cell phone while he was watching the Inland Store video to get a better description of the people involved in the armed robbery.

Investigator Green asked Deputy Grier to describe the clothing the people in the Honda were wearing. Deputy Grier told him. Along with the passengers in the rear seat were several types of clothing between them and along side of them. Investigator Green told him to hold the vehicle, that GSP 750 Kyle Duke was en route to his location on Twilight Rd. to try to identify the suspects.

Trooper Duke arrived and pointed out that on the right front fender wall was mud that had been splashed up when the vehicle turned onto Bethel Rd. Trooper Duke told the passengers on the right side of the car to exit as Deputy Grier was getting the left side passenger and driver out, with the assistance of Officer Smith and Seminole County Deputy Hank Bagwell.

Jermario was placed up against the rear of the car near the trunk and was quickly patted down for weapons. The left side passenger was placed against the front hood, and as Deputy Grier began to pat him down for weapons, he tried to raise up, the deputy told him to keep his hands on the hood of the car.

As Deputy Grier was about to lay down the cell phone and note book, to take better control of the suspect, he pushed off the vehicle and ran north on Twilight Rd. and into the woods on the west side of the road. As the suspect on the front of the car bolted, Jermario ran around the back of the vehicle and was taken down by Officer Smith and Bagwell.

The three suspects were placed in hand cuffs and turned over to Decatur County officers.

Officers included in the case were Sheriff Buddy Glass, GSP Sgt. Buddy Johnson, Chief Scott Worsley, Investigator Rick Morgan, Assistant Chief Jason Wells, and Chief Deputy Terry Williams.

The officers set up check points at different areas to apprehend the subject who ran into the wooded area at the end of Twilight Road and Whites Bridge Road. Colquitt's Chief Worsley and Investigator Morgan set up on Helms and SR 45 to check traffic going and coming from the area.

The blood hounds were requested from Apalachee Correctional to come help search the woods for the missing subject. The officers from the Apalachee Correction Institution were just entering the woods when Chief Worsley and Investigator Morgan checked a vehicle on Helms Road and apprehended the missing subject.

The officers from A.C.I. Sgt. Charles Sneads, Sgt.Adam Mercer, Sgt. Robert Ragans, and Officer Travis Hatcher went into the woods and recovered money that had been dropped in the woods.

Sheriff Glass of Miller County would like to thank all those involved in this case and offer a special thanks to Apalachee Correctional Institution.

According to Decatur Co. SO, Jermario Shuler, Jermaine Lofton, Daniel Lofton and Gwendolyn Morgan, have been charged with armed robbery.