Two men have been arrested following a vehicular and foot chase in south Forsyth County.
In a news release on Tuesday, May 2, Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman announced two suspects have been arrested following a chase that reached more than 120 MPH along Ga. 400 on Monday, May 1.
“Violent criminals will find no place to run, hide or be safe in Forsyth, we will do what is necessary to catch you and bring you to justice, we will recognize no boundary, time, or cost to put you in jail,” Freeman said in a statement.
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According to Freeman’s comments and information from the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were notified by other law enforcement officers at about 5:40 p.m. on Monday “that a suspect, who had been listed as armed and dangerous and had multiple felony warrants out of Atlanta, was likely at the Outlet Mall in Dawson County” and was heading through Forsyth County.
“Deputies quickly stationed themselves along Ga. 400 to intercept the suspect and arrest him if he were to make that bad decision to drive into Forsyth County, which he did,” Freeman said in the statement.
Freeman said the chase occurred “around shift change as nearly 40 deputy sheriffs are on the road at one time” and the driver fled after deputies attempted to pull the vehicle over, reaching speeds of over 100 MPH.
“The pursuit continued south on Ga. 400 at speeds more than 120mph. Multiple deputies were already responding to the area and Stop Sticks were prepared at Exit 14, Exit 13 and south of Exit 13,” Freeman said in the post. “The first deputy successfully deployed them at exit 14 and Mr. Hamilton’s tires eventually began to lose air and shred. At this point, a deputy attempted to use a Precision Immobilization Technique (P.I.T.) causing the SUV to spin out off the roadway just before Exit 13 and really close to our South Precinct.”
The driver, identified as David Hamilton, 43, of Covington, and passenger, Alshawnta Strothers, 36, of Pittsburg then reportedly fled the vehicle on foot to a nearby mobile home park.
“Deputies immediately surrounded the area and Mr. Strothers was quickly taken into custody,” Freeman said. “As deputies searched the area, a resident of the mobile home park told deputies she heard strange noises coming from underneath her mobile home. Mr. Hamilton was located underneath the trailer and was taken into custody without further incident.”
After searching the vehicle, deputies found a loaded 9 mm handgun and an ounce of marijuana.
Hamilton has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, fleeing or attempting to elude, driving while license suspended, speeding, reckless driving and obstruction.
Strothers was also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of marijuana and obstruction.
Both are being held at the Forsyth County Jail on no bond.