ARREST MADE IN HIT-AND-RUN INVOLVING INJURED PEDESTRIAN:
PRESS RELEASE
In the early morning hours of Sunday, September 15th, Bainbridge Public Safety responded to an E911 call on MLK Jr. Drive regarding a vehicle accident involving a pedestrian. As officers were arriving, they were notified that the vehicle involved in the accident had left the scene. Officers located a female subject laying on the side of the road with an apparent compound fracture to her left leg. Officers immediately rendered aid to the victim. She told officers that she was walking along MLK Jr. Drive and was struck by a vehicle from behind. The victim was turned over to the care of EMS when they arrived on scene.
Officers searched the area of the accident and found a broken vehicle mirror. Sergeant Josh Glover used the serial number on the mirror to search the system for matching vehicles (make, model, color). A vehicle was flagged that matched the description, and the owner of that vehicle was located. The owner told Officers that her son, Robert Starling Sapp, had been the one using the vehicle. Officers and Investigators attempted to make contact with Sapp, to no avail.
On Tuesday afternoon, Sergeant Toby Miller used information he received to find out the possible whereabouts of Sapp and what vehicle he was driving. Miller arrived at the location and began surveillance. Shortly thereafter, Sapp pulled up in his vehicle. As Officers and Investigators positioned their vehicles around Sapp’s, he made an attempt to escape by reversing and ramming the front of Chief Investigator Larry Funderburke’s truck. Investigator Chip Nix ordered Sapp to get out of his vehicle. He did not comply, and instead, put his vehicle in forward and hit Nix’s vehicle. Nix drew his weapon and again ordered Sapp to step out of his vehicle. Sapp opened the driver’s door, stepped out. Nix forced him to the ground and handcuffed him. Investigators searched Sapp’s vehicle and located a bag of crystal meth packaged for resale, a pistol, two loaded magazines, and a quantity of ammunition.
Robert Starling Sapp, 39, was arrested and charged with:
* Accident – Hit and Run – Injury – Fail to Stop, Leave Scene (FELONY)
* Controlled Substance – Sale, Manufacture, Distribution of Methamphetamines (FELONY)
* Weapon – Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon (FELONY)
* Possession of Firearm During Commission of or Attempt to Commit Crime (FELONY)
Additional charges are pending.
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