NORCROSS, GA — Two civilians help police catch an assault suspect in Gwinnett County after they unknowingly find themselves in a chase with police after accepting a ride from the woman.
On December 14, 32-year-old Deanna Mills picked up two people she didn’t know and told them she’d buy them a hotel room. They accepted her offer and hopped into her car.
But instead of taking them to a hotel, police say she drove to the Rooms To Go outlet at 6288 Dawson Blvd in Norcross and went inside.
Corporal Juan Madiedo with the Gwinnett Police Department says when a store employee told the suspect he was too busy to help her but would find someone else, she became “irate and started throwing things on the ground.”
She even picked up a bedframe and threw it in the direction of the store manager and attacked him by slinging a lanyard at his face, injuring him.
Police arrived after she had fled the scene, but the victim was able to get the tag number of her car.
Using the system of Flock cameras spread throughout Gwinnett County, officers were able to locate the suspect’s vehicle parked at the Horizon Inn and Suites parking lot on 6187 Dawson Blvd.
In an attempt to flee after spotting the officers in pursuit, the woman ended up colliding with an officer’s vehicle. She ignored officers’ commands to stop and began to accelerate and leave the lot, narrowly striking an officer who was out of their car.
As officers pursed the vehicle down Dawson Blvd, one of the two civilians, who both had been in the car the entire time, threw the car in park by grabbing the parking brake. This caused the getaway car to lurch to a stop and police were able to take Mills into custody without incident. The two passengers exited the vehicle and cooperated with the police.
“They had nothing to do with the criminal activity. They actually helped us!” said Madiedo.
Mills was booked into the Gwinnett County Jail and is charged with two counts of kidnapping, two counts of aggravated assault, battery, criminal damage to property in the second degree, willful obstruction, interference with government property, and disorderly conduct. Mills also had an active arrest warrant from an outside jurisdiction.