A College Park man was charged with numerous counts on March 31 after driving at a high rate of speed through portions of Peachtree City and striking a patrol car before his vehicle was disabled.
Darryl Lambert, 54, was charged with fleeing and attempting to elude (felony), fleeing and attempting to elude (misdemeanor), aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, reckless driving, hit and run, suspended license, three counts of speeding (30+ miles over), failure to maintain lane, two counts of passing on right, driving on wrong side of roadway, three stop sign violations, five improper turn or lane change, disregarding traffic control device, one count of driving through gore, seatbelt violation and littering on highway, according to Peachtree City Police Department spokesperson Odilia Bergh.
Bergh said the incident occurred at approximately 3:06 p.m. on March 31 when a motorcycle officer attempted a traffic stop on a passenger vehicle occupied by two males at the intersection of Ga. Highway 74 South and Crosstown Drive.
The driver failed to stop as directed and continued into the parking lot of Home Plate, behind the TDK facility, said Bergh.
“The passenger fled from the moving vehicle and the driver continued driving recklessly, endangering nearby construction workers,” Bergh said. “Seconds later, the vehicle was spotted again, still driving recklessly and approaching a congested Hwy. 74.”
Bergh said one of the responding officers deployed stop-sticks (a tire disabling device) and was successful in deflating the suspect vehicle’s tires.
“The driver of the vehicle continued, driving at speeds over 80 miles per hour on the shoulder of the road, even after his tires were disabled and disintegrating,” Bergh explained. “The suspect continued north on Hwy. 74, swerving in and out of traffic. On two occasions, officers attempted to limit his speed by boxing-in the vehicle near the intersection of Hwy. 74 and Kelly Drive but the suspect intentionally struck one of the patrol vehicles.”
Bergh said Lambert turned on Hip Pocket Road traveling towards Willowbend Road on only bare rims after his tires had completely disintegrated.
“Due to the lack of regard for human life shown by the driver the decision was made to remove the car from the roadway as safely and diligently as possible,” Bergh said. “The pursuing officer found an opportunity at the intersection of Hip Pocket and Willowbend, while the vehicle had slowed to a speed less than 25 miles per hour, to incapacitate the car by using the patrol vehicle’s equipped push bar.”
Bergh said the strike to the rear of Lambert’s vehicle successfully brought the pursuit to a positive conclusion.
Lambert was taken into custody with no further damage nor any injury to the public or our officers, said Bergh.
Bergh said Lambert has an extensive driving history in similar offenses and an extensive criminal history.
“He had just recently been released from prison and in fact had been in another pursuit in a nearby jurisdiction within the past two weeks. He is currently being held at the Fayette County Jail on a substantial bond,” said Bergh.
