Crime & Safety

Carjacking Suspect Arrested Following Police Chase

The suspect apparently shot himself in the leg in a crash just before he was apprehended along I-575 near Canton.

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A Florida man accused of carjacking two residents is facing several felony charges following a police pursuit through Canton and northern Cherokee County.

Find out what's happening in Canton-Sixesfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Deputies with the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office responded to a call around 6:30 p.m. Friday about an armed carjacking on Reavis Mountain Road near Ball Ground. A deputy with the agency spotted the vehicle, a Dodge Ram pickup truck, traveling southbound on I-575 before losing sight of the truck, said Lt. Jay Baker.

Baker said the Dodge was later seen getting off the interstate at exit 19, and a Canton police officer located the stolen truck on Jarvis Street in the central business district.

Find out what's happening in Canton-Sixesfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The suspect was not in the vehicle at the time of the discovery, so the Canton Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol established a perimeter in the area and utilized K-9 officers to help track down the suspect.

Meanwhile, a man matching the description of the suspect allegedly carjacked a second vehicle -- a blue Dodge Caravan -- around 8 p.m. on Dr. John T. Pettit Street. The car was observed traveling towards I-575, and a sheriff’s deputy who subsequently saw the vehicle traveling southbound on the interstate ”performed a PIT maneuver on the vehicle, causing it to crash,” Baker said.

“During the crash, the suspect suffered what appears to be an accidental and self-inflicted gunshot wound to the leg,” Baker added.

The caravan also collided with another vehicle during the crash, which is under investigation by the Georgia State Patrol. Aside from the gunshot wound, no other injuries were sustained in the incident.

The suspect, Justin B. Goodwin, 36, of Jacksonville, was transported to WellStar Kennestone Hospital for the gunshot wound to his leg. He has been charged with felony fleeing and attempting to elude, two counts of armed robbery, felony theft by taking, obstruction and entering auto.

More charges stemming from the incident are likely to be filed.

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Photo: Justin B. Goodwin, 36. Credit: Cherokee Sheriff’s Office

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