Report: Teen facing felony after chase
A College Park teen accused of leading Floyd County police on a high-speed chase into Adairsville was in jail Tuesday night with a hold for Bartow County.
According to Floyd County Jail and Floyd County Police Department reports:
Jeremiah Hatton, 17, of 4214 Williamsburg Drive, College Park, is charged with a felony for fleeing or attempting to elude officers, along with multiple-traffic related misdemeanors, after the chase that happened around 2:40 a.m. Monday morning.
Police attempted to stop Hatton for doing 66 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone on Ga. 140 near Floyd Springs Road but he sped away east.
Comparing the vehicle’s faster speed to the speed of the police car chasing it, officers estimate he hit 120 mph around Bells Ferry Road and was going about 90 mph when he blew through a red light at the Ga. 53 intersection.
The vehicle was topping 100 mph around Big Ditch Road when it forced another vehicle off the road. No damage to that vehicle was observed and the chase continued. The vehicle passed an 18-wheeler at around 118 mph and continued into Bartow County traveling approximately 115 mph.
Entering the Adairsville city limits, Hatton’s vehicle was running over 100 mph and reached speeds over 128 mph near Hall Station Road. After several attempts to turn off Ga. 140, Hatton turned onto Princeton Avenue but hit a raised crosswalk and struck a ditch.
Hatton jumped out and ran, leaving two passengers in the car. One officer chased him while the other Floyd County officer and Adairsville police held the passengers at gunpoint. Hatton surrendered when he saw he was being pursued.
One passenger was wanted through the Department of Juvenile Justice and was taken to the youth detention center after being checked at Floyd Medical Center for injuries. The second passenger was turned over to representatives from the group home where he lives.
Hatton was medically cleared at FMC and taken to jail, where his bond was set at $10,100. He’ll be released to the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office.
In addition to the felony fleeing charge, he’s facing misdemeanor counts of speeding, driving too fast for conditions, reckless driving, failure to maintain a lane, passing in a no passing zone, running a red light and driving while unlicensed.
Man charged with felony fleeing police
A Taylorsville driver is facing a more serious charge after police reportedly saw him talking on his phone in violation of Georgia’s handsfree law.
According to Floyd County Jail records:
Christopher Alton Bennett, 26, of 100 Brandon Farm Road, was additionally charged Monday with felony fleeing police in connection with an Oct. 10 traffic incident.
Bennett was driving on Reynolds Bend Road at Ga. 293 when he fled from a traffic stop initiated for violation of the hands-free law. He drove off at speeds over 80 mph, went down a private drive and crossed an open field into a wood line. The vehicle crashed into a fence and he ran off.
Bennett was identified by his abandoned cell phone and arrested Friday on misdemeanor charges of reckless driving, failing to maintain a single lane, driving on the wrong side of the road, driving on a suspended license and obstructing officers.
A Co2-propelled air gun resembling a large-caliber handgun was found under the driver’s seat of the vehicle and officers determined Bennett was on parole.
Diane Wagner, staff writer
Man charged with robbery, assault
A Rome man faces robbery and aggravated assault charges following an incident on South Mclin Street earlier this week.
According to Floyd County Jail reports:
Leon Curtis Brown Jr., 28, of 306 S. Mclin St., is charged with felony burglary, robbery, aggravated assault, aggravated stalking, criminal damage to property, possession of tools used during commission of a crime and tampering with evidence. He also faces four misdemeanor counts of cruelty to children stemming from an incident early Monday morning at his residence.
Brown allegedly broke a rear window to gain entrance to the home, kicked in a rear bedroom door and began choking a woman in the presence of four children.
The woman had a temporary protective order out of the state of New York against Brown, who was being held in jail Tuesday without bond.
Polk woman charged with drug conspiracy
A Polk County woman faces several felony drug charges stemming from an investigation
that started in July.
According to Floyd County Jail reports:
Pagan Elaine Nails, 39, of 526 Pea Ridge Road, Rockmart, is charged with conspiracy to violate the Controlled Substances Act and and use of a communication device to facilitate commission of a drug felony.
Nails reportedly used a cell phone to arrange a deal for the sale and distribution of methamphetamine from a location on Cave Spring Road on July 24.
She was being held Tuesday without bond.
Shoplifting leads to false statement charges
A Polk County woman is charged with a felony for making false statements to police after she was stopped for attempted shoplifting at the Walmart on the Cartersville Highway.
According to Floyd County Jail reports:
Mary Ann Bryant, 36, of 149 Wieuca Way, Cedartown, allegedly tried to remove items from the shelves at Walmart Monday afternoon and return the items for cash.
She gave police a false name and date of birth and also signed a fingerprint card at the Floyd County Jail with a false name.
Bryant is also charged with shoplifting and a parole violation. She was being held Tuesday without bond for the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office on unspecified charges.
Doug Walker, associate editor