Georgia man arrested after wreck during chase by sheriff’s deputies

HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. — A Georgia man led a sheriff’s deputy from Habersham County on a brief chase, wrecked his truck in Fairview by crashing into a tree and was arrested Tuesday evening.

Joseph Dale McCallister, of Cleveland, was charged by the Georgia State Patrol for driving under the influence.

Deputies said McCallister was charged by the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office for fleeing and attempting to elude law enforcement as well as multiple drug-related charges and driving violations.

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During a Tuesday afternoon patrol, Habersham deputies, along with a K-9 unit, were on Highway 115 when a deputy saw a green Chevrolet truck without a license plate.

Before the deputy could turn on his lights and sirens to start a traffic stop, the driver sped away, according to officials.

The truck led the deputy up Highway 105 onto Sutton Road and Jim Thomas Road before getting back on 105 toward Cornelia.

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After, deputies said the driver, identified as McCallister, turned his truck onto Fairview School Road, then before speeding onto Yearwood Road, where the truck traveled up an embankment and hit a tree, straddling a hole while the deputy turned onto Yearwood in pursuit.

The deputy used his patrol vehicle to keep the driver from opening the door and fleeing on foot, while McCallister’s truck was moderately damaged from hitting the tree and took additional minor damage after the deputy’s push bumper struck his car.

The sheriff’s office vehicle took some minor damage but was fully operable and driven from the scene.

McCallister was taken into custody and charged with fleeing and attempting to elude, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug-related objects, failure to obey a stop sign, failure to maintain insurance, failure to maintain lane, no registration, driving on the wrong side of the road, and driving with a gore, according to the sheriff’s office.

The collision itself is still under investigation by GSP. McCallister was taken into custody after being evaluated by medical personnel and was booked into the Habersham County Detention Center.

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