A Statesboro Herald newspaper carrier narrowly escaped being robbed early Friday morning, then followed the man he said threatened to shoot him as he dialed 911.
Andy McGowan walked out of the Gate Petroleum Co. convenience store on Northside Drive East around 3:20 a.m. Friday, having just delivered a stack of newspapers for the store to sell. McGowan said a man in a small white car pulled up near him.
McGowan left his own car running and was about to leave when he said the man, later identified as Matthew David Rushing, 22, Five Chop Road, approached him and demanded money.
“He started cussing and said ‘give me all your money or I’ll shoot you,’” McGowan said. He saw the outline of a handgun in Rushing’s waistband, he said.
McGowan only had “about $4 or $5,” he said. Still, he didn’t like the idea of being robbed.
“For a split second I didn’t know what I was going to do,” he said.
What he did was hit the gas pedal. As he did, Rushing jumped in his own car and sped away, but McGowan had another idea.
“He took off and I turned in behind him,” he said. “I wanted him caught.”
As he pursued Rushing, McGowan called Bulloch County Central 911 and gave them Rushing’s tag number.
Statesboro Police Capt. L.C. Williams said 911 dispatchers notified Statesboro Police and sent out a lookout with the suspect’s vehicle description and tag number. Shortly afterward, Officer Matthew Deangelis stopped Rushing on Gentilly Drive, questioned him and called Det. Keith Holloway to the scene.
Holloway found “evidence recovered from the vehicle” that linked Rushing to the robbery attempt, he said.
Williams said Rushing was taken into custody, charged with criminal attempt to commit armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He was taken to the Bulloch County Jail where he remains without bond, according to jail records.
“They caught him in about a minute, maybe two,” McGowan said. “The police did a good job.”
McGowan said his sister, an attorney in the Atlanta area, told him he should have given the offender the money. McGowan, however, said he didn’t like the idea of being robbed, no matter how much money was involved. Still, he realized the danger he was in, he said.
“He acted like he was serious” about shooting, he said. “Put it this way — he scared me.”
Andy McGowan walked out of the Gate Petroleum Co. convenience store on Northside Drive East around 3:20 a.m. Friday, having just delivered a stack of newspapers for the store to sell. McGowan said a man in a small white car pulled up near him.
McGowan left his own car running and was about to leave when he said the man, later identified as Matthew David Rushing, 22, Five Chop Road, approached him and demanded money.
“He started cussing and said ‘give me all your money or I’ll shoot you,’” McGowan said. He saw the outline of a handgun in Rushing’s waistband, he said.
McGowan only had “about $4 or $5,” he said. Still, he didn’t like the idea of being robbed.
“For a split second I didn’t know what I was going to do,” he said.
What he did was hit the gas pedal. As he did, Rushing jumped in his own car and sped away, but McGowan had another idea.
“He took off and I turned in behind him,” he said. “I wanted him caught.”
As he pursued Rushing, McGowan called Bulloch County Central 911 and gave them Rushing’s tag number.
Statesboro Police Capt. L.C. Williams said 911 dispatchers notified Statesboro Police and sent out a lookout with the suspect’s vehicle description and tag number. Shortly afterward, Officer Matthew Deangelis stopped Rushing on Gentilly Drive, questioned him and called Det. Keith Holloway to the scene.
Holloway found “evidence recovered from the vehicle” that linked Rushing to the robbery attempt, he said.
Williams said Rushing was taken into custody, charged with criminal attempt to commit armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He was taken to the Bulloch County Jail where he remains without bond, according to jail records.
“They caught him in about a minute, maybe two,” McGowan said. “The police did a good job.”
McGowan said his sister, an attorney in the Atlanta area, told him he should have given the offender the money. McGowan, however, said he didn’t like the idea of being robbed, no matter how much money was involved. Still, he realized the danger he was in, he said.
“He acted like he was serious” about shooting, he said. “Put it this way — he scared me.”