Twenty-eight year-old Fayetteville resident Marvin Nash, Jr. was killed early Saturday morning when his Toyota SUV hit a tree on Sharon Drive during a pursuit by a Fayetteville police officer.
Fayetteville Police spokesperson Steve Crawshaw said the incident occurred Saturday at approximately 2 a.m. An officer was running radar on Ga. Highway 85 south of Grady Avenue when Nash’s vehicle passed the officer traveling northbound at 62 miles per hour in a 45-mile per hour speed zone, said Crawshaw.
Crawshaw said the officer pulled out behind Nash in an attempt to catch up with the vehicle. The vehicle changed lanes and began to slow down near city hall, as if it would be pulling over for the traffic stop, said Crawshaw. But the vehicle then sped up, turned right onto Stonewall, left on Lee Street and then back onto Hwy.85 South, Crawshaw said.
Crawshaw said the vehicle turned onto Grady Avenue and continued until it crossed Ga. Highway 54 and entered Sharon Drive. The vehicle hit a tree near the roadway a short distance from Hwy. 54, Crawshaw said, resulting in Nash’s death.
Crawshaw said that, during the pursuit, the officer was unable to determine the vehicle’s license number.
The Georgia State Patrol was called to investigate the accident, Crawshaw said, adding that the Fayetteville Police Department is reviewing the pursuit portion of the incident. Both investigations are ongoing.
