A devastating single-car crash after a deputy pursuit in Monroe County, Georgia left 4 people dead and two others injured.
FOX 5 News in Atlanta reported the accident occurred along I-75 just after midnight on February 6, 2022.
In a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office release, investigators explained that deputies clocked a Dodge Charger Scat Pack going more than 100 miles per hour. Investigators say the driver of the Dodge increased speed before deputies had a chance to attempt a traffic stop. The deadly Georgia crash occurred after the vehicle had hit speeds of 170MPH earlier in the chase.
11 Alive-TV reported that a short time later witnesses reported the vehicle had crashed near a line of trees off the side of the interstate. The car caught fire in the aftermath of the accident.
In all, four male occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. Two surviving male victims were diagnosed with injuries. Those two victims were transported by EMS to Navicent Health in Macon.
The investigation into the accident continues, but officers were able to recover three guns and 17 credit cards from inside the car.
Interstate Dangers to All Motorists from Speeding Drivers in Georgia
Speeders on interstates put more than just their own lives in harm’s way. When they choose to travel well over the posted speed limits they are at more risk to lose control of their vehicles and cause devastating collisions.
Drivers who are fleeing a traffic stop and part of a police pursuit show even more disregard for the safety of other motorists.
In a study of the accidents caused by fleeing vehicles over a span of several years, the dangers to everyone on the road during a police chase became clear.
Over a period of nine years, researchers with Injury Prevention documented 2,654 fatal crashes involving almost 4,000 vehicles. 3,146 victims lost their lives in those accidents. These incidents all involved a vehicle on the run from law enforcement. Of those victims killed, 1088 were not in the fleeing vehicles. They were innocent victims of a criminal act.
Georgia Law Enforcement officials continue to evaluate their chase protocols to keep innocent motorists better protected. It’s also up to the drivers who seek to evade traffic stops to think about the consequences of their actions before making the choice to lead a high-speed pursuit.
