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Man wanted for New Jersey homicide, South Carolina attempted murder captured in metro Atlanta

An officer pulled the car over for speeding, but noticed the driver and the passenger switched places before he approached the vehicle.

SMYRNA, Ga. — A traffic stop that authorities said ended in a strange twist landed a fugitive wanted by two others states in a metro Atlanta jail.

Smyrna Police arrested Elnardo Chandler on Thursday on Windy Hill Road.

An officer pulled the car over for speeding and then things took a turn. He noticed the driver and the passenger switched places before he approached the vehicle. 

The officer spoke with the driver who handed over his driver's license which had a different name on it - Thomas Lopez. It wasn't until later that police found that he provided false identification.

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Smyrna authorities said when the officer ran the status of the license that identified the drive as "Lopez," the status showed it was suspended. The officer tried to take him into custody, but the suspect ran. They quickly caught up with him and he was taken to jail

It wasn't until a detective from a sheriff's office in Hudson County, New Jersey contacted Smyrna Police that they found out who "Lopez" really was. New Jersey law enforcement told Smyrna Police that the suspect's true identity was Chandler and that he was wanted in connection with a homicide in New Jersey and an attempted homicide in South Carolina. 

Chandler will be extradited to New Jersey.

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