posted August 29, 2008
A couple was robbed at gunpoint while leaving Coolidge Park in North Chattanooga early Wednesday morning. The robbers were caught just a few minutes later.
In the incident at 1:15 a.m., Jessica Steele and Derlwin Bonds said they were approaching the Walnut Street Bridge when they were confronted by the pair.
The couple said one of the robbers was thin and had a silver handgun. The other was heavy set and was armed with a black handgun.
The pair "demanded their stuff." They got car keys from Ms. Steele. From Mr. Bonds, they took a wallet, cash, two gold grills and two lighters.
The robbers then fled toward the Veterans Bridge.
The couple immediately called 911 and an officer who was running radar on the Veterans Bridge spotted them running south on the bridge. He also saw them throwing items over the side of the bridge.
The two men were detained, and they were brought back to the Walnut Street Bridge, where the couple identified them as the robbers. Police said the pair then confessed.
Chardel Davis, 30, of Kirby Avenue, and Robert Williams, 22, of E. 8th Street, were charged with aggravated robbery.
They said they threw over the side of the bridge a jersey one of them was wearing along with the handguns, Mr. Bonds' wallet and a gold chain.
Police said the items landed on an island below and would be retrieved later.
Given back to the couple were the car keys, $41 in cash, the two gold grills and the lighters.
About the same time as that robbery, a driver for Mercury Cab was robbed at gunpoint and assaulted.
David Anderson said he picked up three black males at 23rd Street and Willow. They said they wanted to go to Union Avenue.
He said the passenger in the front seat pulled a gun and demanded money. He said he handed him $20.
The taxi driver said a man in the back became irate, and he gave him $75 he had in his pants pocket.
He said the man hit him in the forehead with the gun twice before the trio exited.
Police said Mr. Anderson, who had been forced to drive into an alley, had a severe cut on his forehead. He was taken to Erlanger Hospital.
He told police the front-seat passenger was 18-20 and about 5'5".
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