Youth killed in Alpharetta police chase

A juvenile boy is dead and his two teen cohorts are in stable condition at North Fulton Regional Hospital after they crashed on North Point Parkway Jan. 14 while being chased by police for a string of alleged armed robberies.

According to Alpharetta and Roswell authorities, the young boy, believed to be between 12 and 15 years old, has not been identified. Police said the two suspects with him at the time of the crash, 19-year-old Montreal D. Gray and 17-year-old Jaree D. Beatles, both of Decatur, have not been cooperative at all with investigators, who are searching for the boy's family.

The three were being chased for their alleged involvement in a string of armed robberies in Roswell apartment complexes that night, police said, and were darting in and out of traffic when Gray lost control of the stolen Toyota Camry they were driving. No one was wearing their seat belt according to preliminary investigations, said Alpharetta police.

The car flipped on North Point Parkway near the Cypress Point apartments, and Gray allegedly immediately began fighting with police, despite the fact Beatles was seriously injured and the boy lay dead in the back seat, said investigators. Officers reportedly found a number of items stolen in the earlier crimes in the vehicle.

"It's absolutely heartbreaking that a young man had to die because of these senseless acts," said Alpharetta police spokesman Officer George Gordon. "The crash scene was absolutely horrific."

Lt. James McGee, a spokesman with Roswell police, said his officers initially got the call at about 10 p.m. that a 26-year-old female had been beaten and robbed at the Rosemont apartments off Ga. 9 south of Hembree Road. The victim said she had pulled up with her two children to pick up her mail when three men walked up to her car.

One hit her in the back with his forearm, knocking her to the ground, she said, while another stood over her with his hands in his pockets. They never displayed a weapon, said McGee, but demanded money and took her purse — all in front of her two young children. The three suspects drove off in a dark Toyota after trying to break into another car, said the victim.

"You can imagine how traumatic that was," said McGee.

While Roswell investigators were on scene, another armed robbery was called in at the Eagles Crest apartments, off Mansell Road near its intersection with Ga. 9. This time a 37-year-old man was beaten and robbed by two men who showed a gun. They also drove off in what was described as a dark Toyota Camry.

"We surmise the other suspect stayed in the car for that one," said McGee.

McGee said an undercover officer was in the area due to recent car break-ins, so he immediately spotted the dark gray Toyota Camry and began tailing the car. A check of the tags showed it was stolen from Decatur in a carjacking incident Jan. 9, said authorities.

At some point, the suspects realized they were being tailed, because they began driving erratically and pulling in and out of businesses to lose the officer, said Gordon.

Gordon said Alpharetta police were listening in to the radio calls for help, and joined in at 10:20 p.m. They caught up with the chase at the Toys-R-Us on North Point Parkway, and it wasn't long before the car had flipped and both departments were left to deal with the tragedy and many unanswered questions.

"It's one of those things," said McGee. "You think of kids stealing apples, but now they've graduated to murder. It's a sign of the times."

Gordon said the medical examiner has the unknown boy's fingerprints and is searching for his identity. He was not related to the suspects, he added, because both Gray and Beatles' parents said they did not know the youth. No one has reported a missing child to either department, Gordon said.

"We're pulling out all the stops on this [to find his identity]," said Gordon.

Both Gordon and McGee expressed shock that someone so young might be involved in the string of crimes that lead to his ultimate fate.

"It's fair to say as a passenger of the car he knew what was occurring," said Gordon.

Both departments will consult with the Fulton County District Attorney's Office to formulate charges for Gray and Beatles, but both McGee and Gordon mentioned armed robbery, fleeing and eluding police and possibly vehicular manslaughter.
- www.northfulton.com

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