Published: November 22, 2008 12:20 pm         

Subway robber leads police on chase

A robbery suspect is in custody this morning after leading several police agencies on a vehicle pursuit during which a patrol unit was wrecked.

Gainesville Police Chief Steven Fleming said employees of the Subway restaurant at 902 E. U.S. Hwy. 82 noticed suspect James Clark walking into and out of the store at least twice before the robbery.

“The suspect entered the store a couple of times, purchased a soft drink and left. He then returned and asked for change,” Fleming said.

He said when employee Hamideh Ahmadi opened the cash register to get the change, the suspect grabbed her and pushed her backward helping himself to $157 from the cash drawer.

Fleming said Ahmadi was afraid for her safety and acted quickly to alert police.

“She thought she was going to be hurt. She ducked down and was able to reach an inaudible alarm,” he said.

The suspect fled the store and began running eastbound through the parking lot before getting into a black Dodge pickup truck and heading eastbound, he noted.

Fleming said Cooke County Sheriff’s deputies spotted Clark’s vehicle and began a pursuit of the suspect.

He said as he understands it, Clark drove down several county roads and ended up on an oil field road in the Walnut Bend area.

“He (Clark) abandoned the truck and was later placed in custody,” Fleming said.

He also said two officers in another patrol vehicle were involved in a crash during the pursuit. Neither officer is believed to have been seriously injured.

Fleming said Clark faces multiple charges including robbery. He was also apparently wanted on a felony warrant for forgery.