A pre-dawn traffic stop spiraled into a fatal crash Sunday when a driver fleeing a Georgia State Patrol trooper on Interstate 75 lost control while trying to get back onto the highway, according to authorities.
Troopers say the incident began around 6:45 a.m. on I-75 southbound near Jonesboro Road, when a Georgia State Patrol trooper attempted to pull over a Chrysler 300. The driver took off, and the pursuit continued into Henry County. The motorist exited at Eagles Landing Parkway, then attempted to re-enter the I-75 southbound entrance ramp, lost control and crashed. The vehicle slammed into a guardrail, struck a traffic signal control panel and overturned.
Troopers performed life-saving measures at the scene until paramedics arrived, but the driver was later pronounced dead, officials said.
What troopers say happened
According to WSB-TV, the attempted stop started when a trooper tried to pull over the Chrysler 300 near Jonesboro Road in Clayton County at about 6:45 a.m. The car sped off, and the chase entered Henry County before the driver exited at Eagles Landing Parkway and tried to get back onto I-75.
WSB-TV reports the vehicle overturned and the driver was ejected. Authorities have not released the driver’s identity or said why the trooper initially attempted the traffic stop.
Response and investigation
FOX 5 Atlanta reports that troopers from Post 47 in Forest Park, along with other Georgia State Patrol units, attempted life-saving efforts at the scene while paramedics were en route.
According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the Georgia State Patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team is assisting with the investigation. Officials told the outlet they had not released additional details as investigators worked to reconstruct the crash.
Where the crash fits into a larger debate
The deadly wreck comes amid a broader debate over when and how Georgia State Patrol troopers should engage in vehicle pursuits.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in May that a bystander was killed during a Memorial Day chase and that its analysis found GSP’s pursuit policy among the most permissive in the country. The outlet’s reporting cited thousands of pursuits and hundreds of pursuit-related crashes over a five-year period, renewing calls from some legislators and safety advocates for tighter restrictions on when troopers should chase fleeing drivers.
