(Top) Scene where two alleged home invaders were arrested near Jackson. (Photo: Stewart Voegtlin, Jackson Progress-Argus) (Bottom) Suspects Sowell (left) and Concepcion.
Dodge driving burglars in custody
Butts County deputies and other law enforcement officers have arrested two people driving a Dodge following a high speed chase. The chase started in Monroe County after a home invasion there October 13.
From the Jackson-Progress Argus....
Gunfire ends high-speed chase on HWY 87
Driver believed to be connected with rash of home invasions
By Stewart Voegtlin
After leading Monroe and Butts County deputies on a high-speed chase that transpired over two counties, Anton Sowell brought his black Dodge sedan to a standstill on HWY 87 in Butts County once Sheriff Gene Pope fired a single round into the direction of his front passenger tire.
Sowell, who was accompanied by a passenger, Zenya Concepcion, was charged by Butts County with three counts of assault with a vehicle. More charges may be pending.
Pope told the Progress-Argus he believes Sowell is involved in numerous home invasions that have occurred in surrounding counties.
According to authorities the chase began in Monroe County and proceeded to HWY 87. Sowell took HWY 18 towards Gray and came off HWY 18 and led deputies on a chase through a network of several dirt roads.
“Officers from both Monroe and Butts counties surrounded the area,” said Pope. “I was on HWY 87 and proceeded north. I caught up to the chase and tried to do a pit maneuver but [Sowell] slammed on his brakes and turned into me. I went to his right side and he pulled into me again and that’s when I fired a shot in the direction of his engine and front passenger tire.”
The sedan had North Carolina plates, but Pope said they traced Sowell to a Clayton County address.
Sowell is being interviewed by Monroe County currently and Pope believes there will be more interviews to come.
From the Monroe County sheriff's office:
Monroe County Sheriff's Office
Press Release
J.C. Bittick, Sheriff
A man and woman were arrested today, October 13, 2009, after engaging Butts County deputies in a chase across several counties.
Zenya Concepcion and Antoin A. Sowell have been arrested in Butts County after the chase ended there. The chase began earlier this afternoon on Hwy. 18 in Monroe County after a Butts County deputy traveling the highway spotted a dark gray Dodge Charger with North Carolina plates that pulled out in front of him. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle and the suspects engaged the deputy in a chase. Monroe County deputies joined the chase on Hwy. 87 and continued with Butts County in the chase until the chase was ended in Butts County. The suspects were arrested without further incident after deputies ended the chase.
Concepcion and Sowell are being charged with aggravated assault on a police officer in Butts County as a result of actions taken during the chase.
In Monroe County the pair will be charged in the Sept. 23, 2009 burglary of a home in Monroe County on Old Oak Drive in which the suspects kicked in the back door of a home while the homeowner was at the residence. The suspects fled the home without taking anything.
These two suspects are believed to be involved in over 20 burglaries in Monroe, Lamar, Spalding, Butts and Pike Counties.
The suspects are being held at the Butts County Jail. Mugshots can be obtained from the Butts County Jail
The fleeing Magnum apparently crashed at least once during the chase. The pursuit ended on Hwy. 87 near the Jackson city limits at about 1 p.m. after Butts sheriff Gene Pope rammed the suspect vehicle with his patrol car.
A helicopter was called in to search for a third black male who fled on foot.
A similar vehicle and several males are suspected in multiple burglaries here and throughout the middle Georgia area. They also have at least one alleged home invasion to their credit.
More on this story as it develops.
Readers in the area who may have witnessed the chase are encouraged to report in.
Gunfire ends high-speed chase on HWY 87
Driver believed to be connected with rash of home invasions
By Stewart Voegtlin
After leading Monroe and Butts County deputies on a high-speed chase that transpired over two counties, Anton Sowell brought his black Dodge sedan to a standstill on HWY 87 in Butts County once Sheriff Gene Pope fired a single round into the direction of his front passenger tire.
Sowell, who was accompanied by a passenger, Zenya Concepcion, was charged by Butts County with three counts of assault with a vehicle. More charges may be pending.
Pope told the Progress-Argus he believes Sowell is involved in numerous home invasions that have occurred in surrounding counties.
According to authorities the chase began in Monroe County and proceeded to HWY 87. Sowell took HWY 18 towards Gray and came off HWY 18 and led deputies on a chase through a network of several dirt roads.
“Officers from both Monroe and Butts counties surrounded the area,” said Pope. “I was on HWY 87 and proceeded north. I caught up to the chase and tried to do a pit maneuver but [Sowell] slammed on his brakes and turned into me. I went to his right side and he pulled into me again and that’s when I fired a shot in the direction of his engine and front passenger tire.”
The sedan had North Carolina plates, but Pope said they traced Sowell to a Clayton County address.
Sowell is being interviewed by Monroe County currently and Pope believes there will be more interviews to come.
From the Monroe County sheriff's office:
Monroe County Sheriff's Office
Press Release
J.C. Bittick, Sheriff
A man and woman were arrested today, October 13, 2009, after engaging Butts County deputies in a chase across several counties.
Zenya Concepcion and Antoin A. Sowell have been arrested in Butts County after the chase ended there. The chase began earlier this afternoon on Hwy. 18 in Monroe County after a Butts County deputy traveling the highway spotted a dark gray Dodge Charger with North Carolina plates that pulled out in front of him. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle and the suspects engaged the deputy in a chase. Monroe County deputies joined the chase on Hwy. 87 and continued with Butts County in the chase until the chase was ended in Butts County. The suspects were arrested without further incident after deputies ended the chase.
Concepcion and Sowell are being charged with aggravated assault on a police officer in Butts County as a result of actions taken during the chase.
In Monroe County the pair will be charged in the Sept. 23, 2009 burglary of a home in Monroe County on Old Oak Drive in which the suspects kicked in the back door of a home while the homeowner was at the residence. The suspects fled the home without taking anything.
These two suspects are believed to be involved in over 20 burglaries in Monroe, Lamar, Spalding, Butts and Pike Counties.
The suspects are being held at the Butts County Jail. Mugshots can be obtained from the Butts County Jail
The fleeing Magnum apparently crashed at least once during the chase. The pursuit ended on Hwy. 87 near the Jackson city limits at about 1 p.m. after Butts sheriff Gene Pope rammed the suspect vehicle with his patrol car.
A helicopter was called in to search for a third black male who fled on foot.
A similar vehicle and several males are suspected in multiple burglaries here and throughout the middle Georgia area. They also have at least one alleged home invasion to their credit.
More on this story as it develops.
Readers in the area who may have witnessed the chase are encouraged to report in.
Defined tags for this entry: anton sowell, Breaking News, burglary ring, Crime, dodge magnum, home invasion, mayhem, zenya concepcion
and one bi-racial female.there is a second
black male missing........ not third black male
Wish we did.
This has been going on since the 90's i know. I havnt really heard anything recent but im 100% on things back then. Cant fool me. Butts Co. folks are just too old fashioned and dont want a change i guess. Or atleast no one is brave enough to give him a serious run for his money because of being scared of retaliation.
He broke into houses and planted drugs at one house it was caught on tape, thank god for security cameras, this was at time of election, haha it didn't work!
Any further updates on this apprehension?
1.to all that said something good about the sheriff
Give the man some credit god job it could have been your house.
2.#6.1 Anonymous on 10/14/09 at 12:19 PM
if you don't have the facts and dates and time please leae it alone.
3.#10.1 Mel on 10/14/09 at 11:56 AM since your
husband is a deputy he is going to bother every black peson whith that model car. wow thanks you to for making good black people life just alittle harder in Jackson.
4.#12 cats on 10/14/09 at 03:26 PM
another crazy silly black joke. do you know him?se you can't just asume why he did what he did even though he got a tat on his face there are aot of places that would give a black man a try but the thing is did he want that? no because look wher he is now.
5.13 MINICoop on 10/14/09 at 09:23 & #13.1 Anonymous on 10/15/09 at 03:26 PM
hair don't make a person and that is not cool to joke about his hair alot of black guys and white guys got them and don't tell me why some could not even tell you why. they should look up and study the meaning of dreads before they make themselves look crazy
We sure do have some overly sensitive people here.