📰 Buckhead Crash Turns Deadly After Wild Robbery Spree Across Metro Atlanta
Santario Barnwell is behind a string of fast-food robberies that ended in tragedy Monday night when he fled from police, ran a red light, and slammed into another vehicle in Buckhead—killing an innocent driver.
Authorities have confirmed Barnwell is responsible for a multi-day robbery spree that targeted McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A locations across Metro Atlanta.
🍟 From McDonald’s To Chick-fil-A: Santario Barnwell’s Bold Robberies
The chaos began Sunday night in Sandy Springs.
According to police, Santario Barnwell rolled up to the McDonald’s on Roswell Road, ordered fries and a water, then pepper sprayed the cashier when they opened the window.
He reportedly grabbed the cash drawer and took off in a stolen gray Volkswagen Jetta.
Fast forward to Monday evening around 8:40 p.m.—DeKalb County Police responded to another robbery, this time at the Chick-fil-A on Decatur Village Way near U.S. 78.
Same M.O.: multiple employees pepper sprayed, and a cash drawer snatched from the drive-thru register.
Officials say the vehicle used in both robberies had also been linked to at least two other incidents in DeKalb Countysince Sunday morning.
💥 Buckhead Collision Claims Innocent Life
Less than an hour after the Chick-fil-A robbery, Atlanta Police spotted the suspect’s vehicle and attempted to pull him over.
Instead of stopping, Barnwell sped off—leading officers on a high-speed chase through one of Atlanta’s busiest neighborhoods.
The pursuit came to a devastating end at the intersection of Peachtree and Piedmont Roads when the suspect blew through a red light and crashed into another vehicle.
The impact was fatal.
The driver of the second vehicle, 26-year-old Richard O. Wells Jr. from Highland Mills, New York, was pronounced dead.
Witnesses described the crash as violent and sudden, with one man saying, “I heard a pretty violent noise… then saw police cars speeding by.”
🚔 Who Is Santario Barnwell?
Santario Barnwell is now in custody and facing a long list of charges across multiple jurisdictions including Sandy Springs, DeKalb County, and Atlanta.
Sandy Springs Police say he was already on their radar after the McDonald’s robbery.
Surveillance video reportedly captured him driving a stolen gray Jetta during each incident.
Police say it’s rare for a suspect to use pepper spray as a weapon during drive-thru robberies, but Barnwell allegedly pulled the same stunt in every case.
🚧 Roads Closed, Investigation Ongoing
After the crash, a portion of Piedmont Road was shut down as Georgia State Patrol joined Atlanta Police at the scene to investigate.
Barnwell was taken to a hospital for treatment and will be formally charged once released.
Investigators say he’ll face prosecution in at least four different jurisdictions connected to this case.
🕯️ Remembering Richard O. Wells Jr.
Richard Wells was just going about his evening when his life was cut short by someone else’s reckless choices.
He wasn’t involved in the crimes—he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
As this story continues to unfold, we send our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones.
📌 Stay Tuned
This is a developing story.
As new details emerge around Santario Barnwell and the robbery spree that led to this heartbreaking crash, I’ll be keeping you updated right here.
What are your thoughts on this case? Drop a comment below.
And if you live in the Atlanta area—please stay safe out there.
Lock In With Ice Cream Convos:
- SUBSCRIBE To Ice Cream Conversations on YouTube.
- FOLLOW US on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
- SHARE this post on socials!
