MCCD Officer Injured in Weekend High-Speed Chase

An officer with the Georgia Motor Carriers Compliance Division is recovering after being struck during a high-speed chase over the weekend.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, it happened late Friday afternoon at mile marker 160 in Franklin County when MCCD officers stopped a GMC Sierra 2500 pulling a 40 ft flatbed trailer for a window tint violation and to complete a CMV safety inspection.

The MCCD officers asked the driver to exit the vehicle, but he refused.

After an unsuccessful attempt to extricate the driver from the vehicle, MCCD officers utilized their department-issued tasers on the driver. However, the driver fled the traffic stop with one MCCD officer still standing on the truck’s running board.

The officer was able to jump off the truck but was struck by the attached trailer.

The fleeing driver continued down I-85 SB into Banks County where several Georgia State Patrol troopers and Banks County deputies intercepted the vehicle.

During the pursuit, the driver of the GMC forced one trooper onto the right shoulder of the interstate at mile marker 153, however, the Trooper regained control and remained in the pursuit.

At mile marker 151, the GMC struck the end of a guardrail, and the debris struck a pursuing patrol car.

The driver then struck the front passenger side of the trooper’s patrol car as the pursuit continued south on I-85.

The GMC driver again struck a GSP patrol car and forced it off the east shoulder of I-85.

The driver exited off exit 149 and turned left onto GA 15, and then into the TA Travel Center parking lot where the vehicle struck a concrete divider and the driver fled on foot.

Banks County deputies pursued the driver on foot along with a K-9.

He was successfully placed into custody. He’s charged with several criminal charges including Aggravated Assault on a Public Safety Officer and felony fleeing.

WLHR News is waiting for a response from the Georgia Department of Public Safety on the name of the driver who was arrested.

Meantime, the MCCD officer was transported to Piedmont Athens Hospital with a hip injury.

No word on his condition as of Monday but he is expected to recover.