VALDOSTA, Ga. – On Tuesday, July 30, 2019 at approximately 8:29 a.m., the Valdosta Police Department received a 911 call about a robbery at the North Ashley Street McDonald’s location.

According to a VPD incident report, the offender lunged into the drive-thru window and grabbed an undisclosed amount of money from the cash register.  Employees were able to give a description of the offender, as well as the vehicle that he was driving.

A Be On the Lookout (BOLO) was issued for the offender and vehicle.

As officers were responding to the robbery, a call for service was dispatched in reference to a hit and run accident that happened in the 700 block of North Patterson Street, which turned out to be the same as the McDonald’s suspect.

Officers with the Valdosta Police Department Power Squad Unit were leaving the police department responding to the robbery, when the offender vehicle drove by the department.

They caught up with the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle at the intersection of Savannah Avenue and Toombs Street.  As officers were speaking with the driver, Royston Plowell, he began to physically resist the officers and drive off while an officer was still halfway in the vehicle.

The incident report said the officer was able to safely get away from the vehicle and they began to pursue the offender.

Officers and Deputies with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office pursued the vehicle west on Savannah Avenue, south on St. Augustine Road, before the driver lost control of the vehicle and wrecked into a fence on Old Clyattville Road.

Plowell, from Statenville, Ga., tried to flee on foot from the vehicle, but was quickly apprehended. 

Detectives from the Valdosta Police Department responded and conducted the investigation into the robbery.   Evidence was collected that connected Plowell to the robbery.

Plowell was transported to Lowndes County Jail where he is being held pending the following charges:

• Robbery by Sudden Snatching- Felony;
• Obstruction of an Officer-Felony;
• Fleeing and Attempting to Elude-Felony; and
• Numerous traffic offenses.

No one was injured during the incident.

“We are very lucky that innocent citizens and officers were not injured during the careless actions of this offender,” stated VPD Chief Leslie Manahan. “We are grateful of our local law enforcement agencies working together to get this dangerous person off of the streets.”