Bank Robbery Suspect In Custody

Quick action by the Dalton Police Department leads to the capture and arrest of a bank robbery suspect.  Shortly before 4:00 pm on Thursday, the armed suspect entered the Bank of America on South Thornton Avenue.  He alerted some employees on the second floor that robbery was about to take place and showed his gun.  But when he came downstairs, the bank manager had locked the lobby doors leading into the bank.  The suspect then fled in a black Infiniti sedan.  A Dalton Police officer spotted the suspect on Walnut Avenue and pursued him onto I-75 south.  Officers from Georgia State Patrol, Whitfield County and Gordon joined the chase along with additional Dalton officers.  The suspect eventually crashed near mile marker 309 and was taken into custody.

Lonnie Whatley, from the Atlanta area, has been charged with armed robbery and kidnapping.  Additional charges are pending.  He was booked into the Whitfield County jail.

Lonnie Whatley