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June 19, 2008
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Violent Ga. man caught by K-9
By Andria Simmons and Eunice Lee
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga — A 35-year-old man with a violent history was arrested Wednesday afternoon near Lawrenceville when Gwinnett police and a police dog tracked him down and the dog bit him. Gwinnett County and Lawrenceville police brought in SWAT officers after they learned that the suspect they were pursuing, Robert Michael Benton, has a history of violence, including obstructing police and possession of weapons and drugs, said Cpl. David Schiralli, spokesman for the Gwinnett County Police Department. Benton is on parole in Georgia for obstruction of a law enforcement officer, according to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles Web site. Police said Benton fled after Lawrenceville police visited a house he occupied at 339 Russell Road in unincorporated Gwinnett. Investigators had received information about a stolen vehicle at that location, and when they arrived noticed a large quantity of auto parts on the property. They left to obtain a search warrant and asked Gwinnett County police to watch the house until they returned. Gwinnett police noticed a person leave the house and drive away in the vehicle that had been reported as stolen. When an officer stopped the car, Benton fled on foot, Schiralli said. Police cordoned off Russell Road starting at Laurel Creek Drive while searching for Benton. Schiralli said a reverse 911 call alerted neighborhood residents of the unfolding events about 2 p.m., advising them to stay indoors and alert police of any suspicious person lurking around their homes. Benton was found in a wooded area by Gwinnett K-9 officers. When apprehended, he resisted arrest, and the officer's dog bit him, Schiralli said. Benton was arrested about 4 p.m., and the vehicle was recovered. He was transported to Gwinnett Medical Center, where he was being treated Wednesday night for minor injuries from the dog bite, Schiralli said. He was charged Wednesday with felony obstruction of a law enforcement officer, but additional charges are expected, Schiralli said. Copyright 2008 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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