Georgia Police Arrest Two After High Speed Chase in Stolen Vehicle

Officers in Powder Springs reported two arrests after a high-speed chase.

Police ran the plates of a car that matched the description of a stolen vehicle. The driver of the vehicle ignored commands and drove away. He allegedly reached speeds of 75 miles per hour on local back roads.

Leading the police on a chase is also known as fleeing or attempting to elude in the state of Georgia. As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I will outline the offense of fleeing or attempting to elude in today's post.

Fleeing or Attempting to Elude the Police in Georgia

Fleeing or attempting to elude the police in Georgia is defined by Georgia Law in O.C.G.A. §40-6-395 as:

It shall be unlawful for any driver of a vehicle willfully to fail or refuse to bring his or her vehicle to a stop or otherwise to flee or attempt to elude a pursuing police vehicle or police officer when given a visual or an audible signal to bring the vehicle to a stop. The signal given by the police officer may be by hand, voice, emergency light, or siren. The officer giving such signal shall be in uniform prominently displaying his or her badge of office, and his or her vehicle shall be appropriately marked showing it to be an official police vehicle.

The statute above is only one part of the law considering fleeing the police however. If a person is convicted for violating this portion of the law - even for a first time offense, then he or she will be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. A conviction means a penalty that can include up to $5,000 in fines as well as 12 months of jail time. 

The statute then goes on to define situations in which fleeing or attempting to elude is classified as a felony offense. The law is as follows:

Any person violating the provisions of subsection (a) of this Code section who, while fleeing or attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle or police officer in an attempt to escape arrest for any offense, other than a violation of this chapter not expressly provided for in this paragraph:

(i) Operates his or her vehicle in excess of 20 miles an hour above the posted speed limit;

(ii) Strikes or collides with another vehicle or a pedestrian;

(iii) Flees in traffic conditions which place the general public at risk of receiving serious injuries;

(iv) Commits a violation of paragraph (5) of subsection (a) of Code Section 40-6-391; or

(v) Leaves the state

If a person is convicted for violating this portion of the law, the he or she will be guilty of a felony punishable by a fine of $5,000.00 or imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than five years or both.

Practice Note

If you or a loved one has been arrested for a serious traffic crime such as DUI in Georgia, contact our offices now. A Georgia DUI Attorney can help you today.