The metro Atlanta man arrested Thanksgiving morning following a high-speed chase with Hall County sheriff’s deputies remained jailed Monday morning as details of the incident were released.
HCSO NARRATIVE:
“Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) deputies have charged a Hampton man with a list of traffic offenses and other crimes after he fled from them in a stolen SUV on Interstate 985 Thursday morning, Nov. 27.
At approximately 9:15 a.m., a deputy conducting speed enforcement on Interstate 985 near Exit 8/Friendship Road checked a northbound 2017 Hyundai Sante Fe traveling at approximately 106 miles per hour. As the SUV passed the deputy, who was stationary, the driver was weaving in and out of traffic without using a signal and overtaking vehicles in the emergency lane.
The deputy activated his patrol vehicle’s emergency lights and sirens and caught up with the SUV at Exit 12/Spout Springs Road to attempt a traffic stop. The driver of the SUV, which had no tag, refused to stop and continued north.
The driver exited the interstate at Exit 14/H.F. Reed Industrial Parkway and hit a curb, deflating one of the front tires. He then got back on the interstate and continued north.
The driver got off the interstate at Exit 16/Ga. 53/Mundy Mill Road, ran a red light and hit a curb. When the SUV came to a stop, the driver ran eastbound on foot, despite the deputy telling him to stop. The deputy, with assistance from the Georgia State Patrol (GSP), caught up with him and arrested him in the 3400 block of Mundy Mill Road.
The deputy identified the driver as Raphel Isiah Collins, 30. The deputy confiscated approximately 1 gram of methamphetamine and less than 1 gram of fentanyl from Collins’ person during arrest. The SUV he was driving had been stolen in Fulton County.
The deputy obtained arrest warrants charging Collins with the following crimes:
- Fleeing/attempting to elude police officer (felony)
- Theft by receiving (felony)
- Possession of fentanyl (felony)
- Possession of methamphetamine (felony)
- Obstruction of an officer (misdemeanor)
He also cited Collins for several additional traffic offenses:
- Speeding
- Reckless driving – first offense
- Brake lights and turn signals required
- Failure to maintain lane
- Driving in emergency lane
- Obedience to required traffic control devices
- Tires – no metal tire contact on any roadways
- Duty upon striking fixture
- Changing lanes/slowing or stopping/signals required
- Display of license plates”
He’s being held on $18,430 bond. and the state patrol has also lodged a number of traffic-related charges against him.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an update of a story that was published Friday.)