A Decatur man has pled guilty to multiple charges, including injuring a police officer during a traffic stop, after a harrowing chase on Dunwoody roads led to a violent crash. Derric Alexander Simpson, 40, was sentenced to 25 years, with 10 to be served in confinement, and the rest on probation, after a plea entered on Monday, as reported by the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office.
The episode unfurled back on August 1, 2019, when Simpson caught the attention of Dunwoody Police patrolling Ashford Dunwoody Road, using his cell phone while driving. According to the investigation details released by DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston, upon the officers' approach, marijuana odors prompted a closer look at Simpson's vehicle. Refusing a consented search, Simpson made a critical decision that escalated the stop to a life-threatening situation – fleeing with Officer Nathan Daley hanging out of his car window.
The chase ensued with Officer Daley being flung from Simpson's vehicle onto the road after a collision with a van and continued for another two miles, with speeds exceeding 100 mph. Simpson's run came to a halt only after crashing on I-285 and following a short foot pursuit by the authorities. Officer Daley, during the ordeal, suffered from injuries including road rash, a severed ligament, and a gash above his eye, necessitating medical attention at Northside Hospital, as detailed by the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office.
In the aftermath of Simpson's apprehension, an inventory of his car revealed an array of illegal items including controlled substances, a gun, cash, and a scale typically used in drug transactions. At the hearing overseen by DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Nora Polk, there was a pronounced disparity in sentencing suggestions, with the Defense advocating for 8 years and the State pressing for 15 years behind bars. Denoting Simpson's extensive criminal history, Judge Polk mandated a quarter-century sentence, denying the possibility of early parole and requiring the full decade in custody to be served, as per DeKalb County District Attorney's Office.
Senior Assistant District Attorney Ryan Patrick, with assistance from colleague Thomas Williams, District Attorney Investigator Edwin Perkins, and Victim Advocate Mariana Salgado, prosecuted the case. The initial investigation was spearheaded by Dunwoody Police Department Det. Gilbert contributed to the conclusive resolution of a case that began with a simple transgression against a hands-free driving law.
