A man suspected of stealing a mortuary van in Conyers and abandoning a body on a gurney in a parking deck before leading police on a chase has turned himself in.
Kijon Griffin, 23, of Atlanta, was arrested on multiple charges, including entering auto, motor vehicle theft and fleeing and attempting to elude police, according to Conyers police spokeswoman Capt. Kim Lucas. Griffin was also wanted on an outstanding warrant for violating his probation from a prior conviction for entering autos.
According to Lucas, Griffin surrendered at the Rockdale County Jail on Thursday morning.
The pursuit began when officers attempted to stop Griffin while he was still in the parking lot of a crematory in Conyers, Lucas said. As he drove away in the mortuary’s van, a body rolled out of the open back door on a gurney and came to rest in the facility’s back parking lot.
Griffin is also suspected in multiple car break-ins in Conyers, Lucas said.
Police chased the mortuary van onto I-20 West, where Griffin drove from Rockdale County into DeKalb. Conyers police have released dashboard camera footage of the chase that shows the van weaving in and out of traffic. The video also shows other traffic violations, including the van running a stop sign and failing to stay in its lane.
Lucas confirmed that DeKalb police and the Georgia State Patrol joined the pursuit. However, the man stopped the stolen van on I-20 and ran away. Officers from multiple agencies set up a perimeter but were not able to find the suspect.
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