A Marietta rape and sex trafficking suspect was arrested about four months after he fled Smyrna police at about 100 mph, crashed into a van and left the scene, authorities said.
Alfred Antwan Armstead, 29, faces 26 charges, including nearly 20 felonies, after being arrested Thursday, according to Cobb County jail records. He was arrested by Cobb deputies at a home off Lenoa Lane in Austell.
Police obtained two lengthy warrants for his arrest following the police chase, which took place April 24, AJC.com previously reported.
The incident began just after 8 a.m. when someone called 911 to report a suspicious person near a mixed-use development off Belmont Park Drive. Armstead and two women were inside a parked Jeep Renegade at that location, according to the warrant.
Armstead is accused of punching and slapping one of the women, who is a sex trafficking victim, four times while raping her. In addition, he pulled out a lighter and tried to light her hair on fire, the warrant said.
When police arrived, Armstead sped away from the scene with the two women still inside the SUV, the warrant said. The Jeep struck one of the patrol vehicles during the attempted getaway, breaking off a side mirror, police said.
A high-speed chase ensued, reaching speeds between 95 and 100 mph, according to the warrant. At one point, the Jeep traveled on the wrong side of Windy Hill Road.
Armstead is accused of running a red light at the intersection of Windy Hill Road and South Cobb Drive, hitting a Chevrolet van that was making a left turn. He ran away from the Jeep, leaving the two women inside, the warrant said.
Both women suffered serious injuries in the crash. One had to have an emergency operation to fix a broken left femur and also suffered a fractured wrist and forearm. The other woman had forehead, left wrist and forearm injuries.
Officers said they found two handguns, one of which had been stolen, inside the wrecked Jeep. The warrant said they were a Taurus 709 Slim 9 mm handgun and a Glock 23 .40-caliber handgun with an extended magazine. In addition, police found nearly five ounces of marijuana, 83 pills of ecstasy, a digital scale and several plastic baggies in the vehicle, the warrant said.
Credit: Smyrna Police Department
Credit: Smyrna Police Department
One of Armstead’s warrant includes 21 charges, 14 of which are felonies. Those felonies consist of counts of rape, sex trafficking, hit-and-run, fleeing police, serious injury by vehicle, aggravated battery, theft by receiving, drug-related charges and firearm possession charges. The misdemeanors mostly consist of driving citations.
However, police would obtain a second warrant for his arrest the following month after learning of child molestation accusations.
In 2008, Armstead is accused of molesting two girls on multiple occasions, according to the second warrant, obtained by Marietta police. The allegations came to light during a forensic interview with the victims. This led to him being charged with more felonies, including four counts of child molestation.
Armstead is a felon who has spent about two years in state prisons, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections. Since 2015, he’s served two stints for charges including obstruction, entering automobiles and drug possession in Cobb.
He remains in the county’s jail without bond, records show.
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