A high-speed chase that was headed towards downtown Douglas ended in spectacular fashion Wednesday night with a PIT maneuver that sent the fleeing vehicle crashing into a ditch by the OYO Motel.
According to an incident report from the Douglas Police Department, just before 9 p.m., an officer on McNeil Drive saw a vehicle that matched the description of one that had been reported stolen earlier. The vehicle, a silver 2014 Buick Enclave, was headed west on McNeil Drive. The officer fell in behind the Enclave and initiated a traffic stop just before the intersection of McNeil Drive and North Madison Avenue.
The report says that the driver, identified as Rashed Carter, did not stop. Carter turned on Peterson Avenue and drove south toward town. The officer set up to perform a PIT maneuver but, according to the report, Carter began taking action to avoid the PIT. He allegedly accelerated to speeds around 80 mph. The report states that the officer “did not want to allow the chase to go further into the city” so he performed the maneuver, which ended up with the Enclave on its side in the ditch by the OYO Motel.
The report states that Carter refused to be handcuffed but officers were finally able to get cuffs on him. He was arrested and charged with felony fleeing/attempting to elude, reckless driving, no seatbelt, failure to maintain lane, and failure to use a turn signal. He was transported to the Coffee County Jail. No one was injured in the incident.
WALB contributed to his report.