K-9 apprehends suspected armed man who fled

HOMER - An armed man who fled from Banks County officers twice early Friday was apprehended mid-morning by a law enforcement K-9.

Banks County Sheriff's Capt. Jeff Gribble said the sheriff's office was called around 6 a.m. to an incident that reportedly had been going on for about five hours at a residence in the county.

Chief Deputy Shawn Wilson explained what transpired.

"Banks County deputies responded to a domestic dispute on Pine Needle Drive in Commerce," Wilson said. "Officers were advised that a male subject had barricaded himself in a bedroom with a shotgun and pistol. We believed the subject fired several shots and then left the area before the officers arrived."

Officers issued a lookout for the suspect, while their investigation continued.

"From evidence gathered on the scene, the subject's vehicle was later located at a residence of East County Line Road in Franklin County," Wilson said. "The male subject fled the residence before officers could approach the house," Wilson said.

Because the man was believed to be armed when he ran from the second house, officers called in units from other jurisdictions to help establish a perimeter.

In addition to the Banks County Sheriff's Office and its K-9 unit, the K-9 unit from Lee Arrendale State Prison in Alto, the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and the Georgia State Patrol converged near the Banks/Franklin County line Friday morning to apprehend what they believed was an armed man.

"The subject was apprehended by the K-9 unit while hiding in a swamp," Wilson said.

Wilson said the man, later identified as 39-year-old Robert Lee Roaden of a Commerce address in Banks County, was taken by deputies to a hospital for evaluation and treatment.

Roaden since has been booked into the Banks County Detention Center on charges of battery under the Family Violence Act, aggravated assault under the FVA, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Gribble said Friday night.

Charges in Banks County are felonies, and Wilson said Roaden will face charges - likely misdemeanor - in Franklin County as well.

Wilson said no officers were hurt during the response and subsequent search.