Police have many things to consider when making a decision on whether to pursue a driver. If the officer gets behind a vehicle that is accused of a minor traffic violation, he will call in the tag. If the driver begins to speed up like they are trying to flee, the decision to engage in pursuit will be made. Often, it can depend on what information comes in with the tag and the nature of the traffic violation. Police then have to consider many factors, such as traffic conditions, weather conditions, and whether a traffic violation is worth pursuit. If the tag comes back as stolen or associated with people with warrants, they may begin pursuing the suspect.
WSB TV reports that a suspect who was fleeing police was in a crash that killed four people.
On Friday, 23-year-old Shikym Jenkins was driving a Chevy Impala when a Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted to pull the vehicle over on Interstate 75. Jenkins sped off and the deputy called off the chase after pursuing Jenkins for several miles.
Jenkins continued driving until he went off the shoulder of the road, overcorrected, then hit a pickup truck head-on.
25-year-old Ebony Young and 26-year-old Sukquawn Hayes, who were passengers in the vehicle, died at the scene. Two of the four people in the pickup truck also died. They were identified as 72-year-old Judy Martin and 76-year-old Sandra Bowden.
The driver of the pickup truck, 79-year-old Thomas Bowden, was critically injured. 76-year-old Ronald Martin was also injured.
Jenkins succumbed to his injuries in the crash on Saturday. According to the sheriff’s office, both Jenkins and Hayes had outstanding warrants in Chatham County.
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