The area around the state capitol is serviced by the Capitol Police. They are sworn police officers whose primary responsibility is to protect life and property, prevent and detect criminal acts, and enforce traffic regulations. Their area of operation is the Capitol Hill area. While the Atlanta Police Department recently put into effect a no pursuit policy for police pursuits, the Capitol Police do not have such a policy. They have guidelines of when they can pursue suspected criminals and when they must call off such a pursuit. All police departments must take into serious consideration the potential for damage to public and private parties as well as the potential for injuries when pursuing a suspect.
WSB Radio reports that a chase involving the Capitol Police ended with a crash in Atlanta.
The chase began on Tuesday afternoon when a Capitol police officer spotted a car that had been reported stolen at about 12:30 p.m. The police officer spotted the suspect vehicle in the 100 block of Murphy Avenue driving in the opposite direction. The officer made a U-turn and attempted a traffic stop.
The driver of the allegedly stolen vehicle fled, and the chase progressed onto Metropolitan Parkway. The officer performed a PIT maneuver. The suspect crashed into a chain-link fence and then a cable pole. The vehicle came to a stop on the sidewalk near Perkerson Road.
The suspect, identified as 18-year-old Duante Kiseem Chandler, then fled on foot. He was located in a crawl space beneath a vacant house off Pomona Circle. The Atlanta Police Department assisted with the search for the suspect.
He was handed off to the Atlanta Police Department, who will handle the charges against the suspect. Police also recovered a Ruger revolver inside the stolen vehicle.
Have you been injured in a car accident? We can help. Contact us today.