Duluth police say a man was arrested while they investigated a theft, but things took a turn when he ran into traffic.
According to a police report, Justin Patton was accused of stealing someone’s debit cards, social security card and ID.
The victim told police the man who stole his things was wearing a hoodie and red pants and was able to point out the suspect to police.
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When officers saw him at a nearby intersection across the road, they tried to make contact with him, but he started walking away along Buford Highway.
Police said they gave the man multiple commands to stop walking, but he started to go faster, eventually running into oncoming traffic and between cars in the road.
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Officers said in the report that eventually they told Patton to stop or he’d be Tased and “the situation began to rapidly evolve and become tense and uncertain as to his intentions while fleeing law enforcement.”
The police report said Patton ran toward a QuikTrip and around a blue BMW and he was struck wit h a Taser one, in the back and shoulder.
Patton fell to the ground and was handcuffed and police searched him, finding no contraband.
Patton gave officers a fake name, saying he was Jason Patrick.
Police then positively identified him as Patton using a search on CLEAR, the Citizen Law Enforcement Analysis and Reporting database.
Officers searched the area near where the foot chase happened and found the victim’s property and Patton was taken to Northside Duluth Hospital for medical evaluation, police said.
After being cleared by medical staff, Patton was charged with theft by taking, giving a false name to law enforcement and willful obstruction of law enforcement.
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