Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Press Release
Submitted by Bill Leeper, Sheriff
Nassau County Sheriff’s Office dispatch received a call about an armed robbery at the Kangaroo Convenience Store at Harts Road and US-17 in Yulee at approximately 11:10 pm Wednesday night. The suspect’s description was a BM dressed in a black jacket, hood, and blue jeans and was armed with a shotgun. The suspect left the scene heading north on US-17 in a white Ford truck, that had been stolen out of Greensboro, North Carolina.
NCSO Sgt J. Stull observed the suspect’s vehicle at US-17 and SR-200. Sgt. Stull attempted to stop the vehicle, but the vehicle fled north on US-17. The vehicle was being driven erratically and was traveling at a high rate of speed.
Deputy D. Palecek was working off duty traffic control at US-17 and I-95 for the road construction crew which was repaving the exit/entrance ramps of I-95. When Deputy Palecek heard the pursuit on the radio, he moved all the construction workers off of US 17 for their safety. The fleeing truck traveled through the intersection of US-17 and I-95 running over the barricades that were set up for the construction work.
The suspect’s vehicle continued north on US-17 until it reached the road closure for bridge work at the Florida/Georgia state line traveling through more barricades. Sgt. Stull, Deputy Palecek and Deputy M. Hunter went around the barricades in their patrol vehicles and exited in an attempt to subdue the three suspects. The driver of the suspect’s vehicle reversed the direction of the truck and proceeded to leave the confined area. In the process the driver attempted to run down Deputy Palecek who fired at the vehicle with his issued patrol rifle in an effort to get the driver to stop. Deputy Hunter and Sgt. Stull observed the driver attempting to run over Deputy Palecek, so they also fired their weapon at the vehicle in order to get him to stop.
All three occupants of the vehicle jumped out and attempted to flee on foot into the woods, but were captured. Nassau County Fire/Rescue was called to treat the driver of the vehicle, who had a wound to his hand and shoulder and was transported to UF Health in Jacksonville. His injuries are not life threatening.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) was notified and will conduct the investigation of the shooting part of the incident. The initial robbery will be investigated by NCSO. The investigation is continuing and all three suspects will be booked into the Nassau County Jail on multiple charges. They are also suspects in an armed robbery in Dorchester County South Carolina.
Suspects arrested are:
Driver – Donnie McCoy Carroll, WM, DOB: 10/02/1985 (28), from Ridgeville, South Carolina.
Passenger – Katelyn Marie Austin, WF, DOB: 06/25/1998 (15), (missing person) from Ridgeville, South Carolina.
Passenger – Damonique Trevon Gaddist, BM, DOB: 04/30/1995 (18), from Ridgeville, South Carolina (confessed to committing the robbery)
March 21, 2014 6:35 a.m.