A 19-year-old Gainesville man is free on bond following his arrest after a chase earlier this week with a Hall County sheriff’s deputy who says he spotted him on Athens Highway traveling at a high rate of speed and turning his vehicle lights on and off.
HALL CO. SHERIFF’S OFFICE NARRATIVE:
“A deputy who was finalizing a traffic stop at a convenience store on Athens Highway at Wilson Drive first observed the driver, later identified as Jayden Christopher Mahaffey, just before 11:15 p.m. Tuesday…
Mahaffey drove past the traffic stop and immediately turned off his vehicle lights. The deputy, with his emergency equipment activated on his patrol vehicle, followed Mahaffey, observing Mahaffey had turned his vehicle lights back on. As soon as Mahaffey observed blue lights in his rear-view mirror, he again extinguished his lights and made a sudden turn onto Oak Grove Road. Mahaffey accelerated before coming to a stop on Smallwood Road near Baldwin Farms Drive.
At that point, Mahaffey was taken into custody without incident. He was charged with reckless driving, fleeing or attempting to elude and headlight violation. He was also charged with possession of a nicotine vape product under the age of 21. All offenses are misdemeanors.
Mahaffey posted a bond of $7,780 and was released from the Hall County Jail.”