By Joe Johnson
An Athens man this week was formally charged in court for a daytime carjacking five months ago in which he allegedly assaulted the driver and a passenger.
Trentavious Kwondrius Watkins, 23, of Chalfont Lane was charged with two counts each of aggravated assault and false imprisonment, and single counts of hijacking a motor vehicle, making terroristic threats, battery, simple battery and obstruction of a law enforcement officer, according to the accusation filed Tuesday in Clarke County Superior Court by the Western Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.
According to an Athens-Clarke County police report, the alleged incident occurred the afternoon of Aug. 9 when Watkins stood in the path of a Honda CR-V while it was travelling on Sycamore Drive and occupied by two women, ages 53 and 55.
The report indicates that when the vehicle came to a stop, Watkins pulled the passenger out of the SUV and struck her several times in the head and face, and then entered the vehicle and kicked the driver in the head. When the driver escaped from the vehicle, Watkins drove off with it, the police report notes.
Police said that a description was given of the suspect and responding officers located him on West Broad Street near Alps Road.
Watkins was apprehended after a brief foot chase, police said, and the stolen vehicle was located and at a business nearby on Broad Street.
Both victims were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to ACCPD’s public information officer, Lt. Shaun Barnett.
Watkins was taken to a local hospital, "due to his condition and behavior," Barnett said, adding that the incident report did not specify what that meant.
After being medically cleared by the hospital Watkins was booked into the county jail, where he has remained without bail being set.
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office has a hold on Watkins’ release for an unspecified reason, and an arraignment date for the local charges had yet to be scheduled as of Wednesday.