High-Speed Chase Reportedly Crossed Over Three Different Georgia Counties

State Troopers pursued an allegedly stolen vehicle in a high-speed chase across several different Metro Atlanta Counties last night. The counties included both Fulton County and Clayton County.

The chase began in Alpharetta when an 84-year-old woman was held at gunpoint in exchange for the keys to her black BMW. The chase lasted for hours and ended with the Georgia State Patrol troopers enacting a PIT maneuver which ended up with the BMW hitting an unrelated vehicle. 

The accident resulted in several minor injuries. Three people allegedly jumped out of the stolen vehicle. Troopers chased them across the interstate before they were detained. 

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I will focus on the offense of fleeing an officer in Georgia in today's post.

Fleeing an Officer in Georgia

The Georgia Code defines the traffic offense of fleeing or attempting to elude an officer in Georgia 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. O.C.G.A. §40-6-395(a).

The offense of fleeing an officer is classified as a high and aggravated misdemeanor in Georgia. There are even some circumstances that can cause it to be classified as a felony offense. If the circumstances of fleeing an officer result in risking the general public's safety or in striking or colliding with a vehicle or a pedestrian, then the offense will most likely be treated as a felony.

Practice Note

As a firm who specializes in Georgia DUI Defense, we understand how to efficiently fight against traffic violation charges as well. An arrest is not a conviction. You are not deemed guilty because you got a citation or were arrested.

We understand that and will investigate all the details of your case to determine which options are available to you. If you or a loved one has been charged with committing a serious traffic violation, contact a Georgia DUI Attorney today.