Decatur Man Sought for Hitting Officer with Car

Atlanta police said that the vehicle used in Thursday night's altercation that left an officer in the hospital has been found, along with a woman and her two children who were in the car at the time of the incident.

However, the driver, Khalif Edwards, remains at large, and Crime Stoppers Atlanta has increased its usual $2,000 reward to $5,000 for his arrest and indictment.

The phone number for the organization is  404-577-TIPS (8477).

Atlanta police spokesman Carlos Campos said Edwards, 29, of Decatur, remains wanted for aggravated assault, aggravated battery, simple battery, obstruction of a law enforcement officer and cruelty to children in the third degree.

Campos said the unidentified woman in the car "has not been charged and is cooperating fully with us." Campos said her two children, ages 1 and 2, were also in the vehicle.

Edwards is wanted in connection with a confrontation he allegedly had with Investigator Patrick Apoian on Thursday evening, which occurred only a few blocks from such Decatur restaurants as and .

Edwards allegedly struck Apaoian, a nine-year veteran of the department, with his vehicle. The officer received injuries to his leg and chest and was transported to Grady Hospital after the incident.

Campos said the vehicle, a gold Honda Accord, "was found within two hours, in the area of I-20 and Gresham Road.

"We found the children a short time later," Campos added. "We are not disclosing where we found them, but they are safe and unharmed and reunited with family members."

Campos said the specifics of the encounter between Apaoian and  Edwards are still under investigation. While police are identifying Edwards as a Decatur resident, Campos told Decatur Patch that until Edwards is in custody, his registered home address is being withheld.

"During the investigation of a crime our investigator became involved in an altercation with a suspect," said Atlanta police spokesman John Chafee on Thursday night. "The suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, striking the investigator with the vehicle as he fled."

The incident occurred at the intersection of College and Sisson avenues, near the East Lake MARTA station. A Google map of the location shows it to be just west of College and East Lake Drive, where the Wahoo Decatur Grill is located.

Avellino's Pizza is located a few blocks east of the intersection.

11Alive has reported that Apaoian was working a side job, and was investigating a crime when he became involved in the altercation.

CBS Atlanta has reported that Apaoian was working a second job for the Kirkwood neighborhood patrol when he witnessed a crime. It cites Apaoian as the founder of the non-profit group Humble Heroes, which  helps sick and injured firefighters and police officers.

According to the AJC, Apaoian founded the organization in 2009 after two Atlanta officers became sick. The group organized several restaurants in Atlanta to donate portions of their revenue from designated nights to help the officers, one of whom had cancer and another who had suffered a stroke.

Humble Heroes website describes the organization as a 501c(3) charity "committed to standing behind the men and women in public safety. The purpose of Humble Heroes shall be to assist police officers, firefighters, and their families by providing financial and moral support to those who have been seriously injured or fallen ill, while building solid relationships between public service and the communities they serve."