Gwinnett County police are searching for a man they say hit a woman over the head with a chair before pointing a gun at her and stealing her car.
Warrants have been issued for the arrest of Jeffery Merritt, 35, on charges of aggravated assault, armed robbery, hijacking a motor vehicle and battery.
The victim was walking to her car around 6 a.m. on June 22 in the parking lot of the Britain Woods apartment complex in unincorporated Lawrenceville. She noticed a man “working on a chair” nearby, according to police.
When she approached her black Chevrolet Monte Carlo, she was hit in the back of the head with a chair. She fell to the ground and the suspect grabbed her keys and pointed a gun at her. The victim ran away as the suspect drove off in her car.
Two weeks later, Doraville police stopped Merritt in a black Monte Carlo with a license plate that was registered to a different car. Merritt was arrested on charges unrelated to the carjacking; when he bonded out, he retrieved the Monte Carlo from the impound lot, Gwinnett County police said.
After Merritt bonded out of jail and picked up the car, Doraville police realized the license plate didn’t match the Monte Carlo’s VIN number, allowing Gwinnett County police to connect the vehicle to the carjacking. The victim identified Merritt in a photo lineup.
Anyone with information about Merritt’s location is asked to contact Gwinnett County detectives at 770-513-5300 or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477. Crime Stoppers tips may be rewarded with up to $2,000 if they lead to an arrest or indictment.
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