Suspect smashes into 5 cars during chase before crashing near Georgia State Capitol

ATLANTA — A chase with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office through downtown Atlanta ended in a crash in front of the Georgia State Capitol on Friday afternoon.

Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Mark Winne spoke with a deputy who says he saw a car speeding down I-75 southbound and making dangerous lane changes, so he tried pulling him over.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Instead of stopping, they say the driver sped off and the deputy began chasing him.

Investigators say the suspect, later identified as 27-year-old Jimmy Smith, crashed into one car on the interstate before crashing into four more near the Capitol building.

Authorities were able to perform a PIT maneuver on the car near the Capitol to stop the driver and arrest him.

Winne spoke with the suspect as he was being arrested. He denied being involved in the chase and hitting other cars.

Deputies say he was wanted by Atlanta police for an assault, but did not comment on what led up to that.

TRENDING STORIES:

• Father of 5 drowns while trying to rescue children from Georgia river
• Mom, aunt charged with murder after Georgia toddler overdoses on fentanyl
• Tenn. police chief, former APD deputy chief indicted over residency, lying on documents

Smith reportedly told deputies that he sped off from them because of previous bad encounters with police.

His girlfriend was also in the car and is listed as the owner of the car.

No injuries were reported.

He is currently being held in the Fulton County Jail.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

IN OTHER NEWS:

2 men face animal cruelty charges in Lilburn after dog left out in heat dies

©2024 Cox Media Group