Video, Names Released From Friday's Multi-County Manhunt

FORSYTH COUNTY, GA — A massive manhunt Friday found five people arrested after they led police on a chase from Cherokee County, to Forsyth County, eventually crashing on Ga. 400 in Alpharetta.

Early Friday morning, Forsyth County deputies were alerted by citizens of multiple suspects entering cars in the Evans Farms subdivision. Deputies were able to obtain surveillance video from citizens and put out a lookout to surrounding agencies.

Cherokee Sheriff's Office spokesman Capt. Jay Baker said his department has been on alert for breaking and entering suspects due to a recent increase in crimes. Cherokee deputies were out searching Thursday night looking for potential breaking and entering cases, when they were contacted by the Forsyth Sheriff's Office around 2:30 a.m. about several entering auto incidents occurring, Baker said.

Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office units near the Forsyth County line attempted to stop the two stolen vehicles, but both fled.

Deputies were told the suspects were at the Forsyth County/Cherokee County line fleeing toward Forsyth County. In a nearby Forsyth neighborhood, Cherokee deputies spotted the two cars which were suspected in an overnight car break in from photos from Forsyth deputies, so they pursued the vehicles.

Alpharetta Department of Public Safety Public Information Officer Sgt. Howard Miller said the suspects led officers on a chase from Cherokee County to Forsyth County.

The chase ended when Forsyth County Sgt. Nelson, a PIT instructor for the FCSO, successfully preformed the PIT maneuver on one of the vehicles, quickly resulting in two suspects being taken into custody.

The second stolen vehicle was stopped by the use of tire deflation spike strips carried by FCSO deputies on Ga. 400 and three suspects fled into an Alpharetta apartment complex.

Deputies set up a perimeter near Ga. 400, Miller said, and searched nearby neighborhoods and apartment complexes near the Deerfield Point area after suspects ran into the wooded area. At least one suspect was arrested in the apartment complex off Deerfield Point.

After a massive manhunt, including patrol cars lining Ga. 400 near Windward Parkway, a helicopter overhead and officers searching the apartment grounds, three additional suspects were in custody, one left with a K9 bite.

The FCSO said it now has three suspects who tried to steal from Forsyth County citizens in the jail, and two additional in the custody of the Youth Detention Center.

Those arrested include:

• Jobari Wise, 17-year-old from Forrest Park, Georgia; charges include 38 Counts of Entering Auto’s – Felonies, 2 Counts of theft by Receiving Stolen Property, Burglary, Possession of a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime, 2 Counts of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, Theft by Receiving Stolen Motor Vehicle, 2 Counts of Theft by Taking a Motor Vehicle, Fleeing or Attempting to Elude, Reckless Driving, Failure to Maintain Lane, Traffic control Device, Speeding, Driving without a Valid Driver’s License, Improper Passing, Hold for Another Jurisdiction
• Christopher Alexander Avery, 18-year-old from Atlanta; charges include 38 Counts of Entering Auto’s – Felonies, 2 Counts of theft by Receiving Stolen Property, Burglary, Possession of a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime, 2 Counts of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, Theft by Receiving Stolen Motor Vehicle, 2 Counts of Theft by Taking a Motor Vehicle, Theft by Taking – Felony, Two holds from other jurisdictions.
• Rodney Bernard Ooten, 18-year-old from Atlanta; charges include 38 Counts of Entering Auto’s – Felonies, 2 Counts of theft by Receiving Stolen Property, Burglary, Possession of a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime, 2 Counts of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, Theft by Receiving Stolen Motor Vehicle, 2 Counts of Theft by Taking a Motor Vehicle
• Two juveniles ages 13 and 15 are in the custody of Youth Detention Center.

FCSO Detectives are continuing the investigation, including possible gang ties by one or more of the suspects arrested.

Officers from the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, Cherokee Sheriff's Office, Alpharetta Department of Public Safety and Milton Police Department were involved in the search.