Saturday's Internet Edition, May 17, 2008.
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Keith Lauchon Jackson Jr, 18, Ronnie Lee Covington Jr, 20, Quaki Emil Hairston, 17, and Matthew Christopher Savoy, 18, are charged with seven counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon in relation to the robberies committed in Thomasville. The four men are from High Point and claim to be part of a gang, according to Thomasvile Police Chief Ronald S. Bratton. No other information about the suspects gang relation was provided.
The Thomasville robberies occurred on Dec. 16 at the Fairway One Stop on National Highway, Speed Mart on Hasty School Road on Dec. 20 and Dec. 28, and Citgo Pantry on National Highway on Jan. 2.
In a joint investigation, the Thomasville Police Department and the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office caught the suspects Friday night, while conducting surveillance. Officers from the Thomasville Police Department and the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office saturated the northern Thomasville area with unmarked vehicles on Friday evening.
“We figured they would be coming out of High Point,” said Bratton, who was on the scene when arrests were made. “We saturated the north end of the city with cars. Low and behold, one of the Davidson County officers spotted them traveling towards Lexington. They gave pursuit and stopped them right in front of the community college.”
The men allegedly struck two gas stations last week and just before and after Christmas.
In efforts to end the rash of robberies, local law enforcement decided to make some quick maneuvers to catch the suspects.
Based off of a lead, police stopped a dark colored Ford Explorer that was believed to be used in the robberies.
“We were conducting a surveillance on areas around 29/70 in Thomasville — based on the descriptions of some suspects in some robberies,” Davidson County Sheriff David Grice said. “This was on Friday night and the officers stopped that vehicle and there was some individuals in it who we picked up.”
According to police, at approximately 9:15 p.m. on I-85 Business near Davidson County Community College (DCCC), a deputy with the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Team observed a vehicle near Mendenhall Street which was similar to the one in question. Backup deputies, police say, were requested and the vehicle was stopped on I-85 Business near DCCC by deputies.
Three suspects — who were initially charged with drug charges — were taken into custody by deputies. Jackson, the driver, fled the scene, but was apprehended on Saturday morning near DCCC.
Officers seized two weapons from the vehicle along with other evidence.
Additionally, Jackson and Covington were arrested in connection with the murder of Joshua Sweitzer, who was shot in the head Oct. 31, 2007 at Lucky Mart in High Point while working in his uncle’s gas station. Unlike, the Sweitzer case, police say the men didn’t try to harm the clerks in the gas station robberies.
Bratton said one weapon had been fired at a gas station in Lexington and the Citgo Pantry in Thomasville on Jan. 2.
“We are happy to arrest these guys,” he said. “There was a potential someone could get hurt.”
All of the suspects are being held under $500,000 bonds, and the trial date has been set for Feb. 8, 2008. A multi-jurisdictional investigation into additional criminal acts possibly committed by the suspects is underway.
The Thomasville Police Department, along with other local law enforcement, is planning a press conference this week or next week to possibly announce more charges. Repeated phone calls to reach the High Point Police Department Monday for further information were not returned as of press time.
Staff Writer Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 472-9500, ext. 231, or ignasiak@tvilletimes.com