A Hampton man was arrested late Tuesday afternoon in Cobb County on charges stemming from the attempted shooting of a Fayette County sheriff’s deputy who had pulled him over in north Fayette County Oct. 11, officials said.
Keith Sinclair Lake, 22, was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, and because that part of the incident happened just across the county line he will be prosecuted in Clayton County.
The deputy involved had pulled Lake’s vehicle over on a seatbelt violation, but Lake refused to provide ID to the deputy and then put the vehicle in drive, fleeing away from the original location of the traffic stop near the intersection of Helmer and Mitchell roads in north Fayette County, officials said.
The deputy and a second deputy then pursued the vehicle on Helmer as it crossed into Clayton County and then onto Timberlake Drive, where Lake bolted on foot, pursued by the deputy. Lake at one point slipped and fell to the ground briefly and the deputy drew his Taser to stop him, but Lake regained his footing, turned around and pointed a handgun at the deputy, discharging at least one round. The deputy fired the Taser in Lake’s direction but it did not connect as the deputy was attempting to transition to his service handgun due to the threat, officials said.
Lake fled the area on foot and was able to evade capture, although Clayton County police officers and sheriff’s deputies assisted in the manhunt, which also called on Fayette’s K-9 team and the department’s helicopter.
Lake is currently being held in the Cobb County jail on charges unrelated to the incident, officials said.
