Delandus Pruitt
A man and woman have been charged with robbing a taxi driver at gunpoint.
Delandus Javaun Pruitt, of 3725 Fountain Ave., East Ridge, is charged with aggravated robbery.
Sharminey Bailey, 24, of 7598 Highway 136, Chickamauga, Ga., is charged with aggravated robbery and criminal impersonation. Police said she first gave a false name.
Alicia Smith, of Millennium Cab, said last Thursday she picked up a black male and two black females (including a juvenile) at 4107 10th Ave. She took them to Family Dollar on Rossville Boulevard.
She said on the way back one of the females, who was sitting in the front, tried to grab her purse. The driver said she struggled with the woman, then the man in the back pulled out a gun and began counting down from 10.
The trio got out of the cab and ran off with her purse, she stated.
Police went to the residence where the three had been picked up. They detained Pruitt and several black males who had taken off running from 4110A 10th Ave. A search of the residence turned up the missing purse with the victim's name on it.
Ms. Bailey was located at 4107 10th Ave., where the three had been picked up.
Police said Ms. Bailey denied any involvement in a robbery and said she had not gotten into the taxi.
Pruitt admitted taking part in the holdup and said it was Ms. Bailey's idea. He said she provided him with the gun.
Sharminey Bailey