A burglary suspect was taken into custody early Sunday morning following a dramatic chase and arrest at Barney’s Pharmacy on Furys Ferry Road in Augusta.
The swift actions of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) deputies are being credited with preventing what could have been a far more dangerous situation for the community.
At approximately 4:04 a.m., RCSO deputies responded to a verified burglary alarm at the pharmacy. Upon arrival, Deputy Carreras observed a suspect actively shoving medication into two duffle bags. The suspect, later identified as Walter Tarver, 33, attempted to flee the scene carrying the stolen goods, making a desperate run toward a broken window, which appeared to be his point of entry, authorities said.
As deputies closed in, Tarver disregarded repeated verbal commands to stop and continued to resist. He ran toward Deputy Perez, who deployed a taser in an effort to subdue him. Despite being stunned, Tarver continued to resist, prompting Deputy Carreras to also deploy his taser. After a brief struggle, Tarver was finally subdued and taken into custody without further incident.
Central EMS responded to the scene to treat Tarver for minor hand injuries sustained during his escape attempt. Following medical evaluation at Wellstar MCG, Tarver was transported to the Charles B. Webster Detention Center, where his true identity was revealed through fingerprint analysis.
Tarver was charged with several offenses, including smash and grab burglary, obstruction and giving false info. Further investigation also revealed that he had active warrants for aggravated assault and weapon possession.
Sheriff Gino Brantley, who took office Wednesday, visited deputies during their Sunday muster at 5:45 p.m. Sunday to personally thank them for their diligence and professionalism.
“Their quick response and professionalism ensured that this dangerous individual was taken off the streets before further harm could be done to our community,” said Brantley in a press release.
In recognition of their efforts, Sheriff Brantley, along with Chief Lewis Blanchard, presented the deputies with new law enforcement backpacks as a token of appreciation.
