Police said they believe the suspect might have a connection to a recent homicide.
No injuries were reported June 18 around 9 p.m. when Sammie Underwood III, 21, and an unidentified man allegedly fired several gunshots into homes and cars on the 700 block of
Panama City Police obtained a warrant for Underwood’s arrest Friday, but detectives didn’t catch up with him until early Monday, when they responded to a reported armed robbery with shots fired at Bambi’s Dollhouse at 2915 U.S. Business 98. Witnesses said Underwood and 23-year-old Calvin Williams robbed two victims of a cellphone and jewelry, and the two men drove past police investigating the robbery.
When police tried to stop the car they were in, Underwood, who was driving, allegedly led them on a short chase before they were arrested, according to police.
Williams, who has numerous convictions and apparently owes nearly $20,000 in court fees and fines, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, and Underwood is charged with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling and fleeing and eluding police.
The two were not charged with robbery because the victims didn’t want to pursue charges against them, police reported. In fact, one of the robbery victims was arrested on a warrant for domestic battery.
Police are investigating a possible connection between those crimes and a shooting last week at the Macedonia Garden Apartments that killed 17-year-old Samuel McGriff, said Officer Richard Thore with the Panama City Police Department. No one has been charged in McGriff’s death.
That case and the two cases in which Underwood has been charged are still under investigation, and police didn’t release details on the possible link.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Joe Adams with the PCPD at 872-3100 or report information anonymously to CrimeStoppers at 785-TIPS (8477).