FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Deputies arrested a man accused of assaulting a Publix employee who tried to stop him from stealing cigarettes.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office arrested David Johnson in connection with the July 27 assault at the store off Mathis Airport Parkway.
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When she confronted him and tried to grab cigarettes, she said Johnson hit her in the face multiple times. Johnson then pinned her to the ground with his knee on her throat, according to the report.
According to the incident report, a Publix employee found Johnson trying to steal cigarettes from the loading dock.
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A Publix manager told the sheriff’s office she saw Johnson pinned on top of her employee and ran back inside to tell someone to call 911. The manager said she came back outside and saw Johnson take off with a large amount of cigarettes on his bike.
The employee told deputies she got up and chased after Johnson, getting a ride with a Marco’s Pizza delivery driver.
Deputies said the two followed Johnson to a gas station off Old Atlanta Road and Sharon Road before they lost sight of him.
Deputies later found Johnson hiding behind a small hill in a church parking lot. When deputies ran his name, they found warrants for Johnson out of Fayetteville.
Channel 2 Action News has reached out to Fayetteville police to learn more about those warrants.
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