By Joe Johnson
Athens-Clarke County police are investigating a possible attempted carjacking Friday night near downtown.
According to a police incident report, a 33-year-old Bogart man was driving in the area of East Broad and Foundry streets shortly before 9 p.m. when a white male stepped out into the bicycle lane near the train tracks brandishing a handgun.
The victim said the male “pointed the gun at him demanding him to stop his vehicle,” according to the report.
The motorist sped away into the downtown area, where he called 911, according to the report.
“I asked (the victim) what he felt about the altercation to which he informed me he felt like the male was attempting to stop him to steal his car,” an officer wrote in the report.
The suspect was said to be wearing a plaid shirt and appeared to be “unclean.”
Officers searched the area and located a man on Willow Street, but he was let go after the victim was unable to positively identify him as the suspect, according to the report.
When asked if the incident was being investigated as an attempted carjacking, police Public Information Officer Lt. Shaun Barnett said, “This case is in the early stages of the investigation and detectives are working to determine exactly what occurred.”
He asked for anyone with information regarding the incident to contact Detective Carroll at (762) 400-7098 or michael.carroll@accgov.com.