Man gives stranger a ride in Athens and is carjacked

By Joe Johnson

A Barrow County man reported he was carjacked Monday morning by a man who asked for a ride from an Athens gym.

According to an Athens-Clarke County police report, the 21-year-old Bethlehem resident reported that as he was leaving Planet Fitness on Atlanta Highway, he was approached by a man who asked for a ride.

The man said he agreed to give the other man a lift, and as he was driving west on Atlanta Highway, his passenger asked to use the man’s phone to search for directions to Livonia, according to the report.

The passenger gave the phone back and told the driver to turn onto Bedgood Road, across from Sam’s Club, where he got out of the car and circled around the back to the driver’s side and pointed a gun at the victim, telling him to get out, according to the police report.

The suspect then drove away westbound on Atlanta Highway.

The suspect was described as a black male in his late 20s or early 30s, who weighed 150 to 170 pounds, had dreadlocks and facial hair, the report noted.

The stolen car was a tan 2006 four-door Nissan Sentra that displayed Georgia tag TAP8374.

It had “heartbreaker” and “FCK Love” stickers on the back window.