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2-county chase ends with officers sent to hospital

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News is learning new information about three officers injured in a chase.

"I don't know how much pain he was in right there, maybe the adrenaline is pumping but he's in quite a good bit of pain now," said police chief Tony Whitmire.

A viewer sent us video of the man accused of starting the chase.

The chase began after a traffic stop in the Clayton County town of Lake City.

Whitmire said one of his officers wanted to question the man about a stolen car on Rex Road near North Parkway.

After nearly 6 1/2 miles, the first crash happened at Bouldercrest Road and Moore Road in DeKalb County.

It was around 3 p.m. Wednesday when the chief said the suspect ran and tried to carjack someone.

"They were able to lock the doors, roll the window (up) and drove away. He didn't have a gun, he had a knife," Whitmire explained.

From there, the unidentified suspect found an SUV with keys inside and jumped in it while the officer was right behind him.

"The suspect was able to start the vehicle and drive off and the officer was partially in the car. We think the tow vehicle hit the officer and ran over his leg," Whitmire said.

Channel 2's Matt Johnson found a wrecked white car near the crash site 10 miles away on Flat Shoals Road near Panthersville Road.

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Police said the car was on a tow dolly attached to the stolen SUV.

"He was trying to swing the tow dolly off to hit the vehicles behind him," Whitmire said.

DeKalb police said two officers were involved in a crash with another car while trying to stop the suspect.

For Whitmire, he said his officer recover at home.

"He feels that he's leaving us short, but he's got to take care of himself first, and that's our main concern," he said.

Police have not yet released the driver's name but they say he faces charges in DeKalb and Clayton counties including aggravated assault on an officer.