Senoia cops cuff man for 100mph chase

A Senoia man faces multiple charges after a Sept. 25 high-speed chase that began and ended in Senoia after he raced through portions of Coweta and Fayette counties at speeds up to 100 miles per hour.

Jeremiah Baker, 24, of Senoia, was charged with fleeing and attempting to elude, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license, failure to obey a stop sign and failure to dim lights, according to Senoia police spokesman Jason Ercole.

Ercole said an officer was positioned on Rockaway Road at Morningside Boulevard at approximately 8 p.m. when Baker’s Honda Accord passed him flashing the vehicle’s high-beam headlights on and off.

The officer pulled out behind the vehicle with blue lights on and and siren engaged with the intent of stopping it on a failure to dim headlights infraction, Ercole said. The Honda increased in speed as the officer got closer, Ercole said, adding that the Honda reached speeds of 80 miles per hour in a 35 miles per hour zone.

The pursuit continued for 8.2 miles, into Peachtree City where the vehicle turned south onto Ga. Highway 74 and south onto Ga. Highway 85 where it again entered Coweta County. Another Senoia officer joined the pursuit on Hwy. 85 but was unable to stop the Honda that turned onto Seavy Street.

Baker during the pursuit attained speeds of 100 miles per hour, Ercole said.

The vehicle continued on through the city, sometimes reaching speeds of 70 miles per hour and running stop signs. The Honda also evaded another Senoia officer who had positioned his patrol car at Seavy Street and Baggarly Way. Officers reported that several pedestrians in the downtown area had to jump out of the way for fear of being struck by the speeding vehicle.

The chase continued through the city until the driver pulled into a driveway on Morgan Street. An officer in pursuit pulled behind the Honda, with his gun drawn, instructed the driver and two passengers to exit the vehicle. The three refused to comply but were quickly removed from the vehicle by three of the officers who arrived at the scene.

Baker was arrested at the scene. The two passengers were not charged, Ercole said.