SEBASTIAN — A 25-year-old man was arrested after an incident two years ago where he forced himself into a car at gunpoint, demanded money from the driver and tried to force the man to drive to his home.
George Lee Dawkins III, of the 800 block of 19th Street, Vero Beach, was charged with attempted robbery and kidnapping. He is being held at the Indian River County Jail on $225,000 bond.
George Dawkins III
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF”S OFFICE
Deputies spoke with the victim on May 2, 2015, at the Cumberland Farms store in the 900 block of Sebastian Boulevard. He told them he was driving earlier eastbound on County Road 510.
When he realized he forgot his wallet, he made a u-turn and sat at a red light, deputies said. Before the light turned green, a man, later identified as Dawkins, came up to the driver’s door, pulled out a firearm and pressed it against the victim’s head through the open window.
Dawkins demanded money, but the victim said he didn’t have any and had left it back at home. Dawkins then got in the driver’s side rear seat. He demanded the victim drive to his home.
The victim told deputies he began to drive toward his home, but then passed the street it’s on and continued north on Barber Street. When the victim reached a light on County Road 512, he saw several people standing out in front of the Cumberland Farms.
So, he turned into the parking lot of the store and jumped out of the vehicle while it was still moving, deputies said. When the victim ran into the store for help, Dawkins unsuccessfully tried to steal his car, then fled on foot.
The victim gave deputies a physical description of Dawkins. When deputies went to Dawkins’ home, he was not there and the home appeared to be in non-livable condition.
On Sept. 15, 2017, deputies arrested Dawkins on a warrant and took him to the county jail.