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Published Saturday, September 26, 2009 in Local
Drug suspect leads police on car chase
By Alex McRae
The Times-Herald
A Taylor County man in possession of drugs led authorities on a 35-mile, high speed chase that started in Coweta County and covered two interstates before a PIT maneuver brought the action to a halt and ended with the man's arrest, according to Maj. James Yarbrough of the Coweta County Sheriff's Office.
According to Yarbrough, Jerry Alan Crawford, 26, of Butler, Ga., was clocked at 80 mph on Interstate 85 southbound just below exit 51 at 5:58 p.m. Thursday by Coweta Deputy Jeff Bugg.
Bugg gave chase and overtook Crawford. But when the deputy activated his emergency equipment, Crawford did not pull over but sped away at speeds that eventually reached more than 90 mph, Yarbrough said.
Bugg pursued Crawford through Meriwether and Troup counties on I-85, and the chase was also joined by the Georgia State Patrol. While being pursued, Crawford dodged in and out of traffic, pulled off on both shoulders to pass cars and drove on sections of the interstate that were closed to traffic because of construction.
"He was all over the place and the way he was driving it's a wonder no one got hurt," Yarbrough said.
In Troup County, Crawford turned off I-85 and onto I-185 toward Columbus. He continued driving erratically at a high rate of speed.
The chase continued down I-185 into Harris County, where a GSP trooper executed the PIT maneuver and ran Crawford off the road. Crawford was not injured and was taken into custody by Coweta authorities.
Crawford is now in the Coweta County Jail. He is charged with possession of a felony amount of marijuana, fleeing and attempting to elude officers, reckless driving, speeding and driving on a suspended license.
"We're lucky this ended like it did, "Yarbrough said. "That was a dangerous chase and people could have easily been hurt."
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