Police car theft suspects caught in west Georgia

Rudy Lee Vinson, Annastasia Nicole Earwood (Credit: Cartersville Police Department)

Rudy Lee Vinson, Annastasia Nicole Earwood (Credit: Cartersville Police Department)

Two people who were wanted in connection with the theft of a Cartersville police car were captured Friday in west Georgia after a high-speed chase, Haralson County authorities said.

Rudy Lee Vinson of Bremen and Annastasia Nicole Earwood of Ranger were taken into custody near Bremen, Haralson County Sheriff Eddie Mixon said in a Facebook post.

The Cartersville car was stolen Dec. 10 during a traffic stop, officials said. It was found Sunday.

The U.S. Marshal Service tracked the suspects to Cleburne County, Ala., where they struck a marshal and then led authorities on a chase that continued into Haralson County, Mixon said.

Earwood was captured at the scene of an accident the two caused in Haralson County, Mixon said.

Vinson ran into woods, carjacked a vehicle, and went into a Wal-Mart in Bremen, Mixon said. Vinson stole a pair of shoes from the store, knocked down a customer when he tried to run from the store, then was caught.

Vinson is charged with hindering the apprehension and punishment of a criminal, Mixon said. Earwood is charged with theft by receiving stolen property.

“With a multi- jurisdictional investigation such as this one, I would anticipate that the two will face a host of additional charges,” Haralson investigator Heather Mecillas said.