Although he wouldn't release

many details about the deadly chase through Peachtree City initiated by

two Luthersville police officers Saturday night, Luthersville Police Chief

David Yates confirmed both officers were on administrative leave so they

could "grieve" about the incident which left an innocent Peachtree

City motorist dead.

According to Peachtree City

Police Chief James Murray, the pursuit reached speeds in excess of 100

miles per hour after it went through The Avenue shopping center.

Yates, who would not reveal

the officers' names or for what reasons the pursuit was conducted, confirmed

that he has ordered an independent internal investigation of the matter.

He did offer to provide a copy of the incident report to The Citizen,

but added that it did not indicate why the pursuit began.

The Citizen was unable to review

that report by press time Tuesday.

Yates told The Citizen Tuesday

that no details would be released until the internal and criminal investigations

were completed. He added, however, that he has conducted a cursory review

of the matter.

"I have done a preliminary

investigation to make sure nothing was blatantly done wrong," Yates

said, adding that he hasn't received any information that shows his officers

were in the wrong.

"We turned over our video

(of the incident) to the Georgia State Patrol," Yates said. The GSP

has confirmed that neither of Luthersville's pursuing officers was involved

in the collision that killed the Peachtree City motorist.

Yates said both officers were

struggling to deal with the aftermath of the deadly pursuit.

"It's bothering them.

They've got families and they've got kids," Yates said, later adding,

"We're talking about children that were hurt because their mother

didn't have enough sense to stop."

Yates said he was advised not

to release details of the pursuit by the Luthersville city attorney and

the GSP. He did indicate that officers had more than one reason to pursue

the suspect, who fled police with three children in her vehicle.

The internal investigation

will be conducted by a captain from the Greenville Police Department chosen

officers involved in the incident.

The investigator was selected

since Greenville is a small department similar to Luthersville, Yates

said. Yates' entire staff consists of himself and the two officers.

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