Man angry at Walmart checkout line flees from police with 4-year-old before crashing car, police say

HOLLY SPRINGS, Ga. — A 27-year-old man is behind bars after leading police on a high-speed chase in Holly Springs.

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According to Holly Springs Police, officers were called to the Walmart on Holly Springs Parkway just before 3:30 p.m.

Police said a man, later identified as Deonte Stodghill, 27, who had a 4-year-old child with him, was angry and hostile towards employees after his payments were not working.

Stodghill left Walmart with the 4-year-old after multiple tries to pay for his items, police said.

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Holly Springs officials said Stodghill then got into his vehicle and sped off. While driving through the parking lot, Stodghill lost control of his vehicle, hitting a shopping cart, which then hit a customer pushing the cart. Officers said the customer sustained bruises and scrapes from the impact.

According to authorities, as Stodghill continued driving through the parking lot where he hit another vehicle before leaving Walmart and going onto Holly Springs Parkway southbound.

Stodghill continued speeding, traveling south on Holly Springs Parkway.

Police said Stodghill lost control of the vehicle again near Adam Jenkins Memorial Drive, causing the vehicle to leave the road and plunge into a ravine. The vehicle came to a stop against a concrete sewer.

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Officials said Stodghill got out of the vehicle, grabbed the child and ran across Holly Springs Parkway into the wood line. Holly Springs Police, along with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia State Patrol assisted in setting up a perimeter.

Holly Springs used an official drone to find Stodghill and the 4-year-old.

Officers found the child near the railroad tracks on Pinecrest Road. The 4-year-old was checked for observation. The child suffered minor bruises and was turned over to the mother.

Just after 6 p.m., police said they found Stodghill in the woods.

He was transported to Cherokee Northside Hospital for injuries sustained.

After Stodghill was released, he was transported to Cherokee County Adult Detention Center. He’s facing 13 charges including DUI, child endangerment, child abandonment, and serious injury by vehicle.

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