Rockmart teens jailed after ATV chase, wreck

Police arrested two teens in Rockmart after getting in a chase with an officer while riding an ATV and then crashing it, according to reports.

Officers took 19-year-old Donte Williams and 18-year-old Garfield Lester into custody on Memorial Day following a crash into the ditch that brought the pursuit to an end.

According to Rockmart Police reports, Officer Frank Golden was on a routine patrol around 1:50 a.m. on Monday when he saw the ATV pass him, and attempted to pull it over. The pair of teens were then reported to have failed to stop, continued on through the red light at Highway 278 and Pea Ridge Road, and eventually went into a ditch at a high rate of speed.

Williams and Lester tried to get away on foot, and Golden pursed and took the pair and took them into custody. Both were checked out by paramedics on the scene for injuries, and also at Polk Medical Center before they were taken to jail.

The pair were released on bond from the Polk County Jail the following day.

Williams was charged with obstruction of law enforcement, failure to use signal, failure to maintain lane, reckless driving, and fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer. His bond was set at $7,080.

Lester, who was the passenger in the chase, was only charged with obstruction of law enforcement officers. He was released on a $1,320 bond.