Gainesville restaurant robbed

GAINESVILLE - The Sonic Drive-In restaurant on the west side of Gainesville was robbed early Saturday, but a suspect was quickly arrested.

"The caller advised a subject entered the restaurant wearing a dark colored ski mask and demanded the money while pointing a handgun at them," Lt. John Robertson of the Gainesville Police Department said. "The subject then reportedly ran on foot towards the Shallowford Road area."

Robertson said 21-year-old Richard Lewis Hicks of Gainesville was arrested a few minutes later.

"An officer spotted the subject walking in the parking lot of a business nearby within moments of the call. The officer recovered the weapon from the robbery and a sum of cash."

Robertson said no one was hurt in the robbery, which occurred just after midnight.

The Sonic is located at McEver Road and Dawsonville Highway.