102 mph motorcycle chase through Fayetteville propels man to jail
A Jonesboro man fleeing a deputy and traveling at 102 miles per hour was arrested in Fayetteville after the deputy corralled the motorcycle at the intersection of Ga. highways 92 and 54.
Trenton C. McMichen, 23, was charged with reckless driving, fleeing and attempting to elude and possession of amphetamine, according to Fayette County Sheriff Barry Babb.
Babb said a deputy at approximately 9:50 a.m. on Aug. 6 was traveling southbound on Ga. Highway 92 South near Fayetteville when he observed a motorcycle traveling northbound at an extreme rate of speed.
Clocking the motorcycle at 102 miles per hour, the deputy made a U-turn to pursue, and observed McMichen bringing the bike off the ground, doing a “wheelie” adjacent to the Fayetteville Police Department building, then accelerating, said Babb.
Babb said the motorcycle continued, making an aggressive manuever by driving between two trucks in close proximity to each other, then accelerating to a high rate of speed. The deputy followed, maneuvering around the trucks by going off the roadway.
The motorcycle was spotted coming to a stop near downtown while waiting to make a right turn onto Ga. Highway 54 East. The deputy pulled around the motorcycle, trapping it between the patrol unit and the curb, said Babb, adding that the deputy pushed the motorcycle until it fell over because McMichen appeared to be attempting to maneuver around the deputy’s vehicle.
The deputy exited his vehicle and ordered McMichen to get on the ground, with McMichen responding, “What? What?”
McMichen was subsequently taken into custody and three small bags containing suspected methamphetamine were found during the search, Babb said.
‘Being stupid’ lands motorcycle racer in jail after Senoia chase
A 1.7-mile chase in early August by Senoia police landed a McDonough man in jail after he drove his motorcycle at excessive speeds on the city’s west side.
Kyle B. Puckett, 22, was charged with fleeing and attempting to elude, reckless driving, driving on the wrong side of the road, improper passing on the left, failure to maintain lane, weaving over the roadway, passing in a no-passing zone and violation of an instructional permit, according to the Senoia Police Department.
The Aug. 2 incident began at approximately 5:30 p.m. as Lt. Randall Burns was parked at Ga. Highway 16 and Village Circle on the city’s west side when he observed a motorcycle with a passenger traveling westbound at approximately 75 miles per hour in a 45-mile per hour zone.
The motorcycle was passing vehicles in a no-passing zone and driving through the striped sections of roadway known as gore, incident reports said.
The officer began pursuit, observing the motorcycle driving on the wrong side of the road and forcing vehicles off the road during heavy traffic.
As the officer approached Lawshee Road, he saw several motorists “pulled over and sticking their arms out of the driver’s side window and pointing that the motorcycle had turned left onto Lawshee Road,” according to reports.
The officer turned onto Lawshee Road and continued the pursuit, with Puckett driving the motorcycle at speeds of approximately 90 miles per hour.
Coming around a curve, the officer saw the motorcycle on its side on the ground, with Puckett attempting to lift it to an upright position.
The officer pulled up, exited his patrol unit and took Puckett and a passenger into custody.
Puckett at the time of the arrest said, “They were driving to Newnan and being stupid,” according to reports.
The passenger told the officer that he had seen him and began tapping Puckett on the back to slow down, but instead Puckett sped up, reports said.
Both men were checked by EMTs and cleared. The passenger was released to a friend and Puckett was transported to the Coweta County Jail.
