By Beth Alston

AMERICUS — An arrest was made Friday morning in the brutal robbery in the Walmart parking lot Thursday morning.

Alton Montel Dodson, 20, of Lonnie Lane, Americus was stopped by Americus Police Friday for window tint violation. It was while detectives were working on the case, and Dodson was taken into custody because his vehicle matched the suspect description. According to police, the victim’s purse was retrieved in the search of Dodson’s vehicle and residence. He is charged with robbery, aggravated battery on a person age 65 or older, and aggravated assault using a dangerous weapon (vehicle).

According to a friend of the victim, the 66-year-old woman was standing at the rear of her vehicle around 11 a.m. Thursday, loading her purchases into the trunk. Her purse was in her shopping cart. The perpetrator stealthily approached her and snatched her purse, jumped back into his vehicle and took off. She attempted to stop him and somehow her arm was caught in the driver’s door and she was dragged a distance before she broke free. When she fell, her head struck the pavement and Dodson’s vehicle ran over one of her legs. She was to undergo ankle surgery Friday afternoon at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center. The victim was told by the perpetrator, while his vehicle was dragging her, “[Expletive], “I’ll kill you.”

According to the police report, there were at least nine witnesses to the incident.

As of Friday afternoon, Dodson was housed in the Sumter County Jail.

In a press release, the Americus Police Department thanked all the citizens who provided information that helped them to make an arrest in this case.