An absconded sex offender wanted in West Virginia was captured in Coffee County earlier this week after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase through Douglas city streets.
Just after 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, a Coffee County Deputy attempted to make a traffic stop on W. Ward St. and McDonald Ave. The driver of the vehicle sped away and a pursuit ensued. After striking a tree in the area of S. Coweta and Ethel St., the driver exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Local and state law enforcement agencies established a perimeter around the area, and the suspect was found in a wooded area near Ward and Sibbet Streets.
The male subject gave officers a false name at the time he was captured, but officials were able to positively identify him as 24-year-old Robert Lee Franklin.
Officials state county investigators had been working jointly with the United States Marshal’s Service recently to located Franklin after receiving information he was possibly in the area.
Franklin is a convicted sex offender who had absconded out of West Virginia, where he was convicted on June 6, 2015 for third degree sexual assault and was wanted for failing to comply with West Virginia’s Sex Offender Law.
Franklin has been charged locally with numerous traffic violations including DUI, reckless driving, and giving false identity tolaw enforcement. He is currently incarcerated in the Coffee County Jail on these charges, and continues face charges in West Virginia.