Men accused of carjacking, chase hit with new charges - WTOC-TV: Savannah, Beaufort, SC, News, Weather & Sports

Two men charged in connection with a car theft and leading police on a chase were in court Thursday.

Anthony Parrish Jr. and Nathaniel Johnson were back in court to face new charges.  

Parrish's was charged last week with murder and aggravated assault. His new charges are armed robbery, hijacking of a vehicle and possession of a firearm.

Johnson was charged last week with possession of a firearm and two counts of being a party to a crime. His new charges are armed robbery and highjacking of a vehicle.

Parrish and Johnson's court date has been changed from March 19 to March 28.

On March 6, Parrish was charged with the Feb. 24 death of Marray Martin, which occurred at a party on Florida Avenue. Savannah-Chatham Metro Police were looking for him.

SCMPD Central Precinct Crime Suppression and TRAP Units were searching for Parrish in the Cuyler-Brownsville neighborhood.

Police said that at about 6:35 p.m. March 6, Parrish and Nathaniel Johnson stole a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu at gunpoint across town in the 800 block of West 33^rd Street.

Police spotted the stolen car and followed it to West 40^th and Burroughs streets. Police said Parrish and Johnson got out of the car and ran in different directions.

An officer left his patrol car to confront Johnson as Parrish circled around a house, jumped into his police car and drove off, according to SCMPD. Parrish drove the SCMPD cruiser toward another officer who dove into his own patrol car to avoid getting hit.

Police chased the stolen cruiser east on 37^th Street until Parrish turned into oncoming traffic and drove west onto the I-16 connector and the interstate.

Police said Parrish crossed the center line three times while shooting at officers. Police put down tire spikes to stop him. He ran off the road into the woods between the Interstate 516 and Chatham Parkway exits in order to avoid the tire spikes.

Parrish got out of the car and started shooting and officers fired back at him, according to SCMPD. Patrol officer Rebekah Gregory was shot in the leg and her finger was injured. Police said her cell phone deflected the bullet that struck her leg.

I-16 westbound was closed from 6:45 p.m. until 1:20 a.m. March 7 for the investigation.

Police conducted an extensive search for Johnson in the area where the Chevrolet Malibu had been abandoned.

Johnson was arrested Thursday by SCMPD, Canine, TRAP officers and U.S. Marshals from the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Parrish and Gregory were taken to Memorial University Medical Center. They were treated for non-life-threatening injuries and released.

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