A manhunt in downtown Gainesville that began Monday night when a wanted man ran from city police ended several hours later with the help of a passerby and the Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO).
HCSO NEWS RELEASE:
“Antonio DeNova, 27, was arrested at a residence on Johnson Street in Gainesville by Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) deputies after he fled a traffic stop in the city Monday, Feb. 19.
Just after 8:15 p.m., an HCSO deputy was patrolling the area around the IHOP restaurant on Jesse Jewell Parkway after the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) had requested assistance in locating Mr. DeNova. The HCSO deputy heard a woman screaming from the IHOP parking lot saying the suspect had been hiding under her vehicle. The deputy saw Mr. DeNova running through the parking lot toward Jesse Jewell Parkway. The deputy chased Mr. DeNova on foot for a short distance until he lost sight of him.
Meanwhile, a GPD officer reported sighting Mr. DeNova near a residence on Johnson Street. Units with both HCSO and GPD arrived at the residence and located Mr. DeNova inside. The suspect resisted deputies’ attempts to place him in handcuffs. In addition, a woman at the home, identified as Francisca Losa, 59, of Gainesville, grabbed a deputy and tried to pull him away from Mr. DeNova during the arrest process.
As a result, Mr. DeNova was taken into custody around 9:05 p.m. and charged by HCSO with five (5) counts of obstruction of an officer. He was also charged with loitering and prowling for hiding under the vehicle in the IHOP parking lot. Ms. Losa was charged with misdemeanor obstruction, and at last check, she remained in the Hall County Jail on a bond of $2,950.”
EARLIER STORY: Manhunt ends unsuccessfully, but wanted man now in custody 97.5 Glory FM | North Georgia’s Family Radio Station (wgtjradio.com)