On 12/31/22 at approximately 0040 hours, I (Trooper A. Mathews #795) was traveling north on I-85 approaching Buford Highway when I observed a white Toyota Camry with no tag displayed traveling over the posted 55 MPH speed limit. As I positioned my vehicle behind the violator vehicle, the driver made an improper lane change from the Buford Highway exit ramp across the gore area and back onto the I-85 north travel lanes. After completing this improper lane change, I observed the vehicle begin to accelerate as it maneuvered all the way over to the far-left hand lane of 1-85 north. I activated my blue lights and siren to initiate a traffic stop and the vehicle failed to yield, initiating a pursuit. I advised Troop C Communications Center that I was in an active vehicle pursuit. The pursuit continued north on I-85 at speeds in excess of 100 MPH as the violator vehicle operated in a reckless manner without regard for life or property. The pursuit merged north onto State Route 400 until we reached Lenox Road. The violator vehicle exited onto Lenox Road and turned left towards a very popular crowded bar district of the Buckhead community. As the pursuit approached Piedmont Road on Lenox Road, I attempted a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver, however it was unsuccessful due to the driver counter steering towards other motorists stopped at a red light. The violator avoided colliding with any other motorists and continued fleeing north on Piedmont Road. The pursuit then turned south on Roswell Road. As I pursued behind the violator vehicle as it made it's left hand turn, I applied my brakes however due to my following distance and wet road conditions, my patrol vehicle did not stop in time and struck the rear of the violator vehicle. The pursuit continued south on Roswell Road where the violator began operating the vehicle on the wrong side of the road with oncoming traffic present. The violator continued placing many other lives at risk by operating in a reckless manner down Roswell Road. As the pursuit approached Rumson Road, the violator attempted to make a left hand turn onto Rumson Road but was traveling too fast and collided with two unoccupied parked vehicles. This collision disabled the violator vehicle. I positioned my patrol vehicle in a manner to pin the violator vehicle to prevent further escape. I then observed the driver crawl out of the passenger side window of the vehicle and begin fleeing on foot and ignoring my verbal commands. As the violator fled on foot, he continuously looked back at me and would put his hands in front of his body where they were not visible to me. I then deployed my department issued Taser 7 and the violator fell to the ground. Myself, Trooper Tierney, and Trooper Buffington were able to place the violator in custody and identify him as Alton Smith. Smith displayed blood shot watery eyes, a sluggish face, slurred speech and the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath. As we placed him in custody, he made the utterance that he had been drinking. It was discovered shortly after that one prong of the Taser 7 missed completely and the other got lodged in clothing under his right armpit. Neither prong penetrated the skin. It was then learned that two other occupants were in the vehicle, including a 12-year-old young girl. Smith was read his Georgia Implied Consent Notice for suspects age 21 or over for a blood test and he refused. A GCIC/NCIC check of Smith’s information yielded a suspended license since 2004 and felony warrants for his arrest from Cobb County. Due to extended waiting times at Fulton County's jail, I transported Smith to the Cobb County jail where he was released to the jail staff on his active warrants. The two passengers were released, and the vehicle was impounded by Futo’s Towing. Trooper Buffington completed the crash report.

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