Armed robber chased by Milton pizza employee.

Allegedly tried to rob restaurant, hijack car.

Courtesy The Milton Herald / www.northfulton.com

November 06, 2012

MILTON, Ga. – An armed robber did not get very far Oct. 24 after he was chased from the store by an employee, failed to hijack a passing car and was finally tracked down by a K-9 police dog.

An employee of I Love N.Y. Pizza on Birmingham Road told police the suspect, Nicholas Ray Warner, 24, of Scarlet Oak Trail, Milton, came into the store about 7:45 p.m. and bought a Coke.

He then went for a smoke only to return and ask the price of a pizza slice, which he again paid for. However, as the employee opened the register to complete the purchase, Warner allegedly reached over the counter to grab the cash in the till. Two employees began fighting with Warner, who then allegedly produced a box cutter that he used to cut one of the employees.

Warner then fled, and one of the employees got in his car in pursuit.

Warner ran toward Hickory Flat Road with the employee following. The employee caught up to Warner and confronted him. The pair again engaged in a fight, with Warner again running away after landing a few hits.

A passing car stopped and asked Warner if he needed help. Warner responded by allegedly reaching into the car's window to unlock and open the door in an apparent hijack attempt. He failed and again ran away, this time toward Fire Station No. 43 and the surrounding woods.

A Cherokee County K-9 unit was called in to track Warner. Using a baseball cap that the restaurant employees said Warner dropped during his flight, the dog successfully tracked him down. Warner was found lying face down in a thicket of brush near an abandoned home just west of the fire station. He had a box cutter in his possession.

Both witnesses confirmed the man in custody was the one who attacked them.

Warner was arrested for armed robbery, aggravated assault, attempt to hijack a car, simple battery and two counts of criminal trespass.