A man wanted on two counts of false imprisonment with a firearm and armed carjacking charges in Alachua County was captured in Suwannee County Aug. 8 after a dozen law enforcement officers went to his father’s home where the man had been tracked through GPS tracking on his cell phone.

Two victims early Aug. 8 advised law enforcement officers that they were approached at a motel in Waldo by Roger Dale Rodgers, 43, of Earleton, who was armed with a shotgun, according to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO). The victims told law enforcement that Rodgers demanded that they drive him from the area, the ACSO said. Rodgers was taken to the area of his residence, where he apparently took another vehicle and drove to Suwannee County where he made contact with his estranged wife, friends and even law enforcement via cell phone, the ACSO said.

Rodgers was taken into custody without incident after a standoff on Bulb Farm Road, according to Suwannee County Sheriff Tony Cameron. “We called the man on the phone when we got there, but it didn’t do a lot of good,” Cameron said. “So, I just kept easing closer and finally went up there and talked with him,” he said. Cameron said he eased over to the van that was parked at the man’s father’s home, put his hand on his arm and asked him to step out of his van. “And, he did,” Cameron said.

“He was just very upset…he knew what he had done and knew he was facing great consequences,” Cameron said. “He told me he had five children and didn’t want to go to prison.”

ACSO said Rodgers was also questioned concerning the attack on the driver of a parked tractor-trailer that occurred at the same location just prior to the carjacking. No one was injured in either of the crimes in Alachua County, ACSO said.

Cameron said Rodgers had not been to his father’s home in two years until police tracked him to Suwannee County early Aug. 8.

Cameron said Columbia County Sheriff Bill Gootee was looking for Rodgers, and Gootee and five of his deputies came over and assisted Cameron and five Suwannee County deputies in taking Rodgers into custody.

Cameron said Rodgers isn’t charged with any crime in Suwannee County.

Rodgers was booked into the Suwannee County Jail and then transported to Alachua County to face charges there.