Chase ends in Sumter County

Published 3:33 pm Tuesday, February 28, 2017

At approximately 8:10 this morning, 911 received a call from a member of management from a business located on East 16th Avenue in Cordele, Georgia. The caller advised that there was an irate customer in the drive thru, refusing to move his vehicle. A Cordele Police Department officer arrived and the suspect refused contact with the officer and continued westbound on 16th Avenue. Deputy John Roger Harvey encountered and attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver continued driving erratically and proceeded at speeds up to 110 mph, leading deputies into Sumter County. Once inside Sumter County a tractor trailer was assisting law enforcement in trying to slow the suspect down before entering the city of Leslie. As the offender attempted to pass the tractor trailer, the driver hit a Crisp County Sheriff’s Office unit and then the back end of the tractor trailer. He then proceeded passing the tractor trailer and was met by a Georgia State Patrol unit, the Trooper in the unit, recognizing the danger to the citizens of the upcoming city, attempted to block the vehicle with his patrol car. The suspect struck the troopers vehicle almost head on. The suspect lost control and slammed through a business located on the corner of Hwy 195 and Hwy 280 and came to an abrupt stop. The driver would not exit the vehicle. After a few moments he exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. He had to be tasered in order for officers to gain control of him. The suspect, thirty one year old Andrew Higgins of Massachusetts was transported to Crisp Regional for evaluation.