TAIWAN BLANDIN
A murder suspect who has been on the run for nearly two weeks has been arrested. He was taken into custody in Atlanta, Georgia after he committed a carjacking at a convenience store.
The Atlanta Police Department notified the Polk County Sheriff’s Office of the arrest on Saturday. Taiwan Blandin, 30, of Frostproof, is currently being held in the Fulton County Jail. He is facing the new charges of carjacking, escape, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, fleeing to elude, and other charges.
According to police, around 2:30 a.m., Saturday, Blandin allegedly carjacked a vehicle from a convenience store. Atlanta Police observed the stolen vehicle shortly after it was stolen. Blandin fled with the officers attempted to make a traffic stop. He crashed the stolen vehicle and then attempted to run, but was caught.
A spokesperson for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said an unidentified white woman was in the vehicle at the time and was also arrested.
When he is returned to Florida, Blandin will be charged with: first degree murder, first-degree
arson, armed kidnapping, sexual battery with a deadly weapon, armed burglary,
grand theft of a motor vehicle, grand theft of a firearm, and tampering with
physical evidence. He also has warrants from Wauchula Police Department.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said, “We are grateful that this violent, armed, and dangerous suspect is in custody
and his crime spree has come to an end. The Atlanta Police Department did an
awesome job. Based on the felonies he’s racked up, he likely won’t spend
another day on the street. He’s behind bars where he belongs.”
Blandin became a suspect in a crime spree around 8 a.m., Tuesday, October 1st, in Fort Meade. In that city, he is alleged to have sexually battered and then kidnapped a woman. The victim and Blandin know each other. Blandin reportedly drove the woman to Frostproof, where he committed another crime.
Blandin is accused of killing an 80-year-old woman in her home. The sexual battery victim was able to escape in his vehicle. However, after the murder, Blandin is alleged to have stolen the murder victim’s vehicle and followed the sexual battery victim back to Fort Meade. At that point, he shot at her. He did not hit the victim.
As he shot at the sexual battery victim, a stray bullet struck an 81-year-old woman in the foot. She is expected to recover from her injuries, police said.
