An early morning traffic stop on June 10 in north Fayette County resulted in the driver fleeing the scene at a high rate of speed, having his vehicle disabled in Fayetteville and being apprehended after fleeing on foot. A Fayetteville officer was struck by a deputy’s vehicle during the foot pursuit and sustained severe but non-serious injuries.
Curtis Hall, 25, of Gay, was charged with felony fleeing and attempting to elude, improper equipment, obstruction, reckless driving, possession of Hydrocodone and driving on a suspended license, said Sheriff Barry Babb, adding that Hall had an outstanding warrant from Meriwether County for simple battery-family violence.
Babb said the incident unfolded at 3:41 a.m. when a deputy initiated a traffic stop at Ga. highways 279 and 314 in north Fayette.
“As the deputy was speaking to the driver (Hall), he became aware of possible impairment and asked the driver to step out of the vehicle,” said Babb. “The driver immediately pulled away and attempted to elude the deputy as he began to pursue the vehicle south on Hwy. 314.”
The suspect vehicle travelled south at rates of speed up to 108 miles per hour, Babb said.
An assisting deputy deployed a tire deflation device at Hwy. 314 and New Hope Road with which the vehicle made contact, though the Hall continued on Hwy. 314 to the intersection at North Glynn Street, said Babb.
Hall’s vehicle left the roadway and entered the Fayette Eighty-Five Shopping Center, driving behind the businesses with the driver’s door partially open in a possible attempt to bail from the vehicle, Babb said.
Babb said Hall then returned to North Glynn Street heading northbound and lost control of the vehicle after striking the curb at the intersection with North Jeff Davis Drive. Hall then exited the vehicle on foot into the Fayetteville Corners Shopping Center while the three passengers remained in the vehicle, Babb said.
“A deputy in the pursuit was northbound on North Glynn Street attempting to enter the shopping center to continue the pursuit and eliminate Hall’s escape route,” said Babb. “(The deputy) struck a Fayetteville officer running across North Glynn Street. The deputy stopped the pursuit and rendered aid to the officer.”
Babb said city and county units set up a perimeter and deployed K-9 units. Hall was apprehended without incident at 5:30 a.m. at the intersection of South Jeff Davis Drive and Johnson Avenue.
Fayetteville Police Department spokesman Mike Whitlow said Captain Chad Myers was struck at North Glynn Street near North Jeff Davis Drive by another law enforcement vehicle which was involved in the pursuit. Myers was transported to Piedmont-Fayette Hospital with severe, but not serious, non-life threatening injuries and was released, Whitlow said.
Also charged in the incident were 25-year-old Gay resident Kalvin Hall for obstruction, 17-year-old Gay resident Brandon Favors for obstruction and 25-year-old Gay resident Dontavious Ferrell for giving false name and birth date and obstruction, said Babb.
Babb said all three passengers complained of injuries and were evaluated and released from Piedmont Fayette Hospital.
Babb said the Georgia State Patrol is investigating the portion of the incident dealing with the officer being struck and the accident with Hall’s vehicle striking the curb.
