High-speed chase leads to teens’ arrest

The Calhoun Times

May 22, 2009 10:19 am

— A high-speed chase through three counties Thursday night led to the arrest of two juveniles in Gordon County.
According to Michael Fitz, chief of the Kingston Police Department, a 15-year-old male who had allegedly stolen his parents’ car several weeks ago in Bartow County was visiting a friend in Kingston. A caller contacted 911 after recognizing the car and Kingston police officer Clay Patterson arrived on the scene, pulling his police cruiser up to the driveway to block the car in. After seeing the police, the male and a juvenile female got in the vehicle — a silver Nissan Altima — and rammed into the police car, attempting to push it out of the way.
The teenager then drove through the yard and onto the road, with Patterson in pursuit. The chase went from Kingston to U.S. 411 and traveled into Floyd County around 6:45 p.m. The pursuit continued along Ga. 53 into Gordon County, where Gordon County Sheriff’s deputies entered the picture. The suspect turned left onto Webber Road, just before W.L. Swain Elementary School, hitting a ditch and a fence as he made the turn. The pursuit continued two miles down, where Webber Road became Moores Ferry Road. At 459 Moores Ferry Road, the driver quickly pulled into a dirt driveway and the male and female exited the car and fled on foot. Floyd County police officers, along with Gordon County deputies and Floyd County deputies, pursued on foot before finally catching the two suspects and placing them under arrest.
Fitz said the male driver would be charged with a long list of offenses, including felony fleeing and eluding, aggravated assault on a police officer, theft by receiving stolen property, obstruction and reckless driving. He said during the pursuit, the driver and police reached speeds of more 100 mph.
The unidentified suspects were taken into custody and returned to the Kingston Police Department, where they were being questioned. Fitz said that, because of the suspects’ ages, a juvenile justice officer would be contacted to see if they would be held by the juvenile department or released to their parents.