An altercation broke out at a Georgia gas station during a prom dress sale, resulting in a brawl where one of the suspects was flipped and body slammed onto the pavement while attempting to choke the 18-year-old seller.
The incident occurred at a RaceTrac gas station in Gwinnett County, about 30 miles outside of Atlanta, where the victim met her former friend, Morgan Flinchum, 20, to sell her the dress on Feb. 26, according to police as reported by Fox 5 Atlanta.
The dress, originally owned by Flinchum, was in the victim’s possession as her mother had helped pay for it. Flinchum contacted her to buy it back outright, leading to the confrontation.
When they entered the gas station’s bathroom to try the dress on, Flinchum’s friend intervened, grabbing the dress and fleeing. A struggle ensued, moving towards the gas pumps.
Surveillance footage captured the altercation between the victim, her boyfriend, and the alleged dress thieves. The situation escalated, with one of the suspects putting the victim in a chokehold before being flipped over and slammed to the ground.
Police responded to the scene, leading to the arrests of Flinchum, Kaylee George, and Lelia DeJager, who turned themselves in. Charges included battery and theft by taking.
The Gwinnett County Police emphasized the importance of conducting person-to-person sales in public places with surveillance cameras to ensure safety during transactions.
They recommended using designated e-commerce parking spots monitored by video at their precincts for secure transactions.
“We invite any citizen out there, if you’re looking to make a transaction, sell any items or purchase an item online, meet that person at one of our designated e-commerce locations,” said Cpl. Juan Madiedo.
