A 23-year-old Macon man was sentenced to 30 years, with the first eight to serve in prison, after leading Houston County deputies on two separate chases in November 2025 that ended with him ramming a patrol vehicle and later hiding from police in his underwear. Dymeen Wayne Smith pleaded guilty to two counts of fleeing and eluding police, felony obstruction, attempted first-degree burglary, and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, entering his plea moments before his jury trial was scheduled to begin.
The saga began on November 20, 2025, when Houston County deputies tried to stop Smith near Highway 247 for speeding, according to 41NBC News. Instead of pulling over, Smith briefly flashed his hazard lights and slowed down before accelerating recklessly through residential streets while nearby schools were actively letting students out, according to 13WMAZ. Deputies ended that pursuit after several minutes because of the danger it posed to the public.
A U-Haul, a Rammed Cruiser, and a Manhunt
Deputies eventually caught up with Smith at a BP gas station at 1201 S. Houston Lake Road, where he was found with the vehicle, per 41NBC's account. When deputies moved in, Smith drove a U-Haul truck into a patrol vehicle before fleeing onto Houston Lake Road, abandoning the truck and running on foot, the same station's report notes. The U-Haul had been due back on November 26, 2025.
The collision with the patrol vehicle triggered a multi-agency search across Warner Robins and Houston County involving Houston County deputies, Warner Robins police, and Georgia State Patrol. A sheriff's office K-9 eventually tracked Smith's scent to his apartment on Lochlyn Place, though he was not there when deputies searched it. Inside, deputies found more than 300 grams of marijuana packaged for sale.
Found Hiding in His Underwear
Smith's escape ended after residents in the Lattice Bend neighborhood called 911 to report a suspicious person. A caller described someone matching Smith's description entering an enclosed patio, and deputies later found he had climbed in through a screened window and stripped down to his underwear while hiding. His clothing and cellphone were left behind on the patio, according to 41NBC's reporting.
Why Georgia Prosecutors Push for Prison Time
In Georgia, fleeing or attempting to elude an officer can be a felony in some circumstances, according to Georgia DUI Lawyer.
Houston County District Attorney Eric Edwards has made clear that his office intends to keep pursuing prison time for people who flee law enforcement in the county. Edwards said the district attorney's office will seek a prison sentence for people who flee law enforcement in Houston County, a stance that has already shown up in other recent cases. He has publicly warned that motorists who turn public roadways into high-speed racetracks will routinely face mandatory state prison sentences, per 13WMAZ.
That approach played out in August 2026, when Houston County prosecutors secured a 15-year sentence, with 10 years in state prison, for Howard Spann after he led law enforcement on a 100-mph chase through four counties that ended in a ditch in Crawford County.
Smith's Case Reached a Plea Before Trial
Smith's case reached a plea just before trial less than a year after his arrest.
