Four police departments get involved in car chase

A man apparently high on meth led police officers from four towns on a chase through Jackson County, according to an incident report from the Braselton Police Department.

Braselton police said they were following a vehicle that had been reported stolen on Interstate 85, when it exited the interstate in Jefferson. An officer said he stopped on an interstate exit ramp, where he noticed several fresh tire marks across the roadway.

A Pendergrass officer then said he noticed a southbound car pass him on U.S. Hwy. 129 traveling more than 80 m.p.h., according to an incident report.

The Braselton officer said he then heard vehicle horns in the distance and noticed a vehicle quickly approaching him with its emergency lights activated. The officer said he ran to his vehicle to avoid the suspect hitting his patrol vehicle in the roadway. As the suspect passed the officer’s vehicle, the suspect didn’t slow down.

The Braselton officer followed the vehicle along U.S. Hwy. 129, as it traveled through Jefferson and Arcade. The officer said police from those cities joined to help stop the suspect’s vehicle, which was traveling recklessly about 85 m.p.h.

An Arcade officer used stop sticks in the roadway to stop the suspect’s vehicle, which then lost control around Ga. Hwy. 82 and hit a guard rail, according to an incident report.

The suspect got out of his vehicle with his arms raised in the air. He was ordered to the ground by police.

The suspect — Steve Alex Bowman, 24, of Cleveland — told police that he took the vehicle because he saw it on the side of a roadway. The Gainesville Police Department reported that the vehicle was stolen from a wreck scene.

The boyfriend of the stolen vehicle’s owner then arrived and explained the situation to police. At that time, Bowen began passing out and became disoriented. Braselton police said he appeared to have been using methamphetamine. He was taken to a hospital.

The victim’s property was removed from the vehicle and Braselton police met a Gainesville officer. The property was returned to the victim, who thanked police, according to an incident report.

While at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Bowman became aggressive with hospital staff and was restrained. Hospital employees told police he was using some type of narcotics.

After he was released from the hospital, Braselton police issued a citation for reckless driving and he was arrested by Gainesville police, according to incident report.

Braselton Incidents
The Braselton Police Department responded to the following incidents last week:
•missing person at a Park Bend Avenue address, where a man said he was unable to locate his wife after telling her that he wanted a divorce. The wife left the house that evening, but didn’t take her phone. The man said he called area jails and hospitals, but was unable to find her. Braselton police later received a call from the Barrow County Jail reporting that the wife had been arrested.

•fight at Jeffrey’s Sports Bar and Grill, where an intoxicated man was punched several times by another man. The drunk man allegedly pushed the man, who claimed that he punched in in self defense. The drunk man was somewhat conscious, but not alert when police arrived. He was taken to a hospital. Braselton police said investigators would review surveillance video to determine possible charges.

•theft of mislaid property at McDonald’s on Spout Springs Road, where a man said someone stole his wallet, after he accidently left it on the store’s counter. When the man realized that his wallet was missing, he contacted McDonald’s, but employees couldn’t locate it. The wallet contained the man’s credit cards, driver’s license and police identification card.

•dispute at the Braselton Public Utilities building, where an irate customer called an employee an offensive name. The customer recently had service connected, but returned a few days later to have it disconnected. Another person then asked about getting water service to the same address. That man applied for water service. The customer then threatened to damage the water meter. When the employee said he could be arrested for damaging the town’s property, the customer told the employee to stay off his property and called her an offensive name. Another town employee heard the conversation on a speaker phone.

•criminal trespass at Chateau Elan, where security guards said two people used a villa without permission by using a master key card that was reported stolen. One of the suspects said he knew someone that he was going to pay $200 to use the villa for one night. The security guards said that man didn’t work for Chateau Elan and they wanted to press charges against the suspects. Police charged Patricia Guzman, 22, of Gainesville, and Derol O. Robinson, 24, of Braselton, with criminal trespass.

•theft by taking at an Olney Falls Drive address, where a neighbor said someone stole an air conditioning unit from a vacant house. The neighbor said he had been watching the house, after air conditioners were stolen from other houses in the area in recent weeks. Two air conditioners were stolen from each of two lots. The A/C units were valued at a total of $12,000.

•wanted person apprehended at a Ga. Hwy. 53 address, where an officer stopped a vehicle because his patrol vehicle’s automatic license plate reader showed that it had an expired tag. One person in the vehicle had a warrant for their arrest in Jackson County and the other passenger had a warrant for their arrest in Hall County. A Jackson County deputy got one passenger, while a Hall County deputy got the other person.

Braselton Arrests
The Braselton Police Department made the following arrests last week:
•Justin Bennett Jackson, 38, 3628 N. River Road, Gainesville, possession of meth and possession or use of a drug-related object.

•Chadwick Anthony Miller, 23, 1147 Pin Oak Drive, Tucker, failure to dim headlights, failure to maintain lane, driving while license suspended or revoked and DUI.

•Daniel Joseph Daptone, 29, 557 Summerville Drive, Lawrenceville, failure to maintain lane, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and DUI.