Georgia Police Chase Ends in Collision; Suspect Missing

MCINTOSH COUNTY, GA- Wtoc.com writes that a collision occurred on Interstate 95 when police were pursuing a motorcyclist. The rider attempted to evade officers after the police saw the man commit a traffic offense.*

As the motorcyclist fled the scene, he struck a guardrail and crashed into a river. The suspect could not be located after the incident, and police began a recovery operation to search the water for the man. The identity of the biker has not been released at this time. A recent car chase that ended in an officer dying in Georgia and another pursuit that killed two bystanders has raised questions about whether police should be engaging in these high-risk chases. Pursuing fleeing suspects is one of the most dangerous parts of a police officer’s jobs. In many instances, the chases start after the suspects commit relatively minor offenses. In the two fatal crashes prior to this event, the police departments stated that their officers were following protocol when they chose to engage. 

Studies indicate that nearly half of all pursuits end with a crash. Suspects also frequently manage to avoid arrest after being pursued. A study into police chases indicated that often victims in these incidents are the suspects themselves. However, innocent bystanders are the next most likely group to be killed in police chases. Only a small percentage of the suspects are  guilty of violent felonies: most committed misdemeanors, non-violent felonies, or traffic violations. 

According to police in Georgia, of you witness a pursuit, get to the right side of the road to stay out of the way. Regardless of whether the chase is warranted, it is a dangerous situation for everyone on the road. 

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Source:https://www.wtoc.com/2020/02/12/gsp-confirms-chase-with-motorcycle-ends-with-crash-mcintosh-co/?outputType=amp and https://www.wsav.com/crime-safety/when-are-police-chases-appropriate-we-asked-georgia-state-patrol/ and https://www.usatoday.com/pages/interactives/high-speed-chases/