A man charged with robbing a former schoolmate and later ramming his vehicle into the front of a patrol car during a police chase has finally been caught.
Lemario Rashard Branham, 21, of 2810 E. 26th St., is facing a variety of charges, including aggravated robbery, criminal trespassing, aggravated assault on police, reckless endangerment, unlawfully carrying a weapon, felony evading arrest and vandalism.
In an incident April 22 at East Lake Courts, Terrance Smith said he talked with friends, then Branham approached him with a gun in his hand. He said Branham grabbed him and stuck the gun to his side. He said he demanded that he give him everything in his pockets.
A man who was with Branham began going through his pockets, he said.
He said the robbers took his car keys, $125 cash and his gold wedding ring with diamonds worth $900.
The robbery victim said Smith told hime he was going to kill him and ordered him to quit making noise. The pair then fled on foot.
The victim said he recognized Branham because they went to school together. He made a positive identification from a photo lineup.
On April 30, Investigator Chad Rowe and other fugitive units were looking for Branham. He was spotted entering a red Dodge Charger and fleeing the parking lot of the Highland Apartments.
Investigator Rowe was going into the apartment complex's main entrance when the Dodge Charger struck his patrol vehicle. Branham fled on foot.
Officers found a set of brass knuckles in the Charger.
Branham was finally taken into custody on Thursday.
Branham has an extensive criminal record. In 2004, he was charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery. He got a three-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to lesser charges.
He was charged with first-degree murder in 2007, but it was later dismissed.