Athens, GA — A 23-year-old man from Hull is facing a long list of charges after allegedly leading Georgia State Patrol (GSP) troopers and Athens-Clarke County Police officers on a dangerous high-speed chase that began in downtown Athens and ended in Madison County.
Pursuit Begins in Downtown Athens
According to Online Athens, the pursuit started shortly after 1 a.m. on July 26 when a Ford F-150 traveling on West Broad Street near Pulaski Street was stopped by a GSP trooper. The driver turned onto Reese Street and accelerated, attempting to flee.
During the chase, the trooper reported the suspect committed multiple traffic violations. Two PIT maneuvers were attempted but failed, and the truck struck the trooper’s patrol car twice — disabling it on the second impact.
Police Coordinate to Track the Fleeing Truck
After a lookout alert was issued for the pickup, an Athens police officer spotted it on North Avenue using a street camera feed. Acting on information that the vehicle “had a history” with a gas station on U.S. Highway 29 North, the officer headed there and soon saw the truck turning onto Virginia Lane in a residential area of Madison County.
The officer briefly reached 80 mph in pursuit, but called off the chase due to the neighborhood setting. Stop sticks were deployed on Hull Road, but the truck avoided them, prompting the officer to re-engage the pursuit.
Tire Deflated, Suspect Flees on Foot
Stop sticks were successfully deployed a second time near Voyles Road, puncturing the pickup’s right tire. The suspect drove into a Kroger shopping center parking lot and stopped. He then fled on foot but was tackled by an officer after a short chase.
Authorities say the suspect was charged with 18 traffic violations, including three felonies, by Athens-Clarke County Police. The GSP trooper added nine more charges, among them aggravated assault on a police officer for allegedly ramming the patrol car during the pursuit.
Immigration Hold Filed
The suspect, identified as an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, is also subject to an immigration detainer. He remains in the Athens-Clarke County Jail without bond as of Friday.
Key Allegations in the Case
- Ramming a police patrol unit during the pursuit.
- Reaching 80 mph in a residential neighborhood.
- Evading multiple stop stick deployments before tire deflation.
Authorities have not released further details on the suspect’s prior criminal history. The case remains under investigation by both GSP and Athens-Clarke County Police.
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