Two arrested after alleged robbery, U-Haul chase

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Two men accused of robbing a fireworks stand in Cherokee County Tuesday night were arrested after allegedly leading authorities on a car chase from Rusk to Houston County. According to our news partner KETK, Leon Zion Washington, 22, of Ruskin, Florida, and Kevin Bert Anderson, 27, of Tampa, Florida drove to a fireworks stand north of Rusk. They ordered the owner to “give them all of their fireworks,” said Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson. Officials say the men then fled from the scene in a U-Haul vehicle and a car chase began. Deputies chased the men through Alto and Houston County, with the U-Haul reaching speeds of 100 mph, according to authorities.

The suspects’ vehicle was spiked in Houston County after about 20 minutes and the men were arrested. They were charged with attempted robbery and evading arrest in a vehicle, and one of the men was also charged with failure to identify. Crockett and Department of Public Safety officials also assisted with the pursuit.