Clerk's tip leads to robbery suspect arrest

COVINGTON - 30-year-old Joseph C. Crawford, the alleged gunman in the July 22 Little Caesar's shooting/robbery, was arrested late Tuesday near Covington after a convenience store clerk recognized him.

According to the GBI, Crawford the clerk hit a silent alarm after recognizing Crawford, who had been named a suspect in the case just hours earlier.

"GBI agents, Newton County sheriff's deputies and members of the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force responded to the station," GBI spokesman John Bankhead said. "When Crawford spotted police, he ran out of the back door of the station where he was met by arresting officers covering the rear of the gas station."

Crawford was taken to the Newton County jail and is expected to be taken to the Habersham County Jail Wednesday.

He faces charges of aggravated assualt and armed robbery charges, in connection with the robbery of the Little Caesar's restaurant. Employee Kathy Hamilton of Demorest, who was closing the restaurant at the time of the robbery, was shot and wounded.

Bankhead said earlier Tuesday, Crawford was reportedly spotted in the Loganville area Monday evening around 10:00.

(AccessNorthGa.com's Ken Stanford contributed to this story.)

http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/8/231217