A suspect was named Friday in one of two police chases that held up traffic in Gwinnett and Douglas counties Thursday afternoon.
Police are looking for Derrick Jamal Rankins, who allegedly wrecked and abandoned a car during a chase that started after a home invasion on the 4100 block of Suwanee Trail Drive in Buford, Gwinnett police spokesman Cpl. Jake Smith said.
Rankins, a 5-foot-10 black male weighing about 170 pounds, was last seen wearing a white V-neck shirt, camouflage shorts, and red and black shoes.
Rankins fled after crashing near the Buford-Spring Connector and Monroe Drive, authorities said. He allegedly left all of the stolen goods in the car, a white Buick Century.
The invasion took place while two boys, ages 10 and 14, were at the home alone. The suspect held the boys in the house for 30 minutes, authorities said. There were no injuries, Smith said.
Gwinnett, Atlanta and Georgia State Patrol officers are looking for Rankins.
Police are encouraging anyone with information on the case to contact detectives at 770-513-5300.
In a separate incident Thursday, police were chasing an alleged Dillards shoplifter near I-20 and Lee Road in Douglas County when the suspect ran into a deputy’s car, according to Channel 2 Action News. The deputy was taken away on a stretcher, and the police car suffered heavy damage.
The suspect suffered minor injuries, Channel 2 said.
All lanes of I-20 at the scene were temporarily closed.
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