Chattanooga: Man arrested after brandishing axe in jewelry store

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

photo Garris Wooten

A man was arrested Monday afternoon after he barged into a jewelry store on Gunbarrel Road, wielding an ax and wearing a beekeeper's hat, then "acted crazy and left," according to Chattanooga police.

Following the incident in the jewlery store, Garris Wooten, 22, was arrested after his Ford Ranger pickup truck wrecked on Interstate 24 at Rossville Boulevard,said Chattanooga police spokeswoman Officer Rebecca Royval. He was picked up by police in the 2400 block of Rossville Boulevard, she said.

He was transported to the Hamilton County Jail and charged with criminal attempted aggravated robbery, driving on revoked/suspended, and leaving the scene of an accident, Royval said.

About 1 p.m. Monday, employees at Rone Regency Jewelers on Gunbarrel Road said "some crazy guy" entered the store with the axe and a beekeeper's hat. An employee asked the man to leave, prompting him to raise the axe, walk around the store, then leave, Royval said.

A passer-by noticed the suspect driving away in a reckless manner from the store, so she took a photograph, Royval said.

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