An Atlanta police officer violated the department’s no-chase policy ahead of a fiery crash that killed two people Monday morning in Midtown, authorities said.
Former police Chief Erika Shields prohibited officers from chasing vehicles in January after a series of high-speed pursuits left innocent drivers dead. Instead of chasing cars, Atlanta officers typically request the assistance of Georgia state troopers, who are still authorized to chase suspects.
The department said Wednesday that an officer responding to a call about a stolen SUV at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis likely violated protocol ahead of a crash that left a man and woman dead.
“An initial review of the incident indicates this was in violation of the department’s no-chase policy,” Atlanta police spokesman Sgt. John Chafee said in an emailed statement. “However, a more in-depth review will be conducted.”
Atlanta police responded to a call about the stolen Jaguar at the hotel on Peachtree Center Avenue about 9:45 a.m. Monday, AJC.com previously reported.
An officer spotted the red SUV at the intersection of John Portman Boulevard and Piedmont Avenue and followed it while updating other officers on the vehicle’s location and direction of travel, Chafee said.
The vehicle eventually pulled in front of a gated entrance on Courtland Street, at which point the officer activated his emergency lights and tried to stop the luxury car, authorities said. The Jaguar reversed, striking the officer’s patrol vehicle before driving the wrong direction on Courtland Street at a high rate of speed, Chafee said.
“The vehicle continued north, striking a utility pole near Juniper Street and 11th Street,” he said. “Officers arrived on scene moments after the crash and observed the vehicle upside down and engulfed in flames. An occupant exited the burning vehicle with his body engulfed in flames.”
Police sprayed the man with a fire extinguisher and firefighters were able to extinguish the burning SUV, authorities said.
The man, who had been driving the stolen vehicle, was later identified by the Georgia State Patrol as 23-year-old Donte Harris. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition but later died of his injuries, police said. A woman riding in the passenger seat was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name has not been released.
Police said a gun was found at the scene.
The fatal wreck remains under investigation, Chafee said Wednesday. Atlanta police are investigating the SUV theft and state troopers are investigating the fiery crash. It wasn’t immediately clear if the officer involved in the incident faces any disciplinary action.
The former police chief’s decision to prohibit officers from chasing suspects followed a string of fatal crashes.
In December 2019, two men running errands were killed by two 19-year-olds running from police in a stolen SUV, AJC.com previously reported. The victims, 43-year-old Mark Hampton and 44-year-old Jermaine Jackson, lived three doors down from each other and both cared for ill family members, their loved ones said.
The two teens inside the carjacked SUV that hit them were later arrested and charged with murder.
“We will rely on other techniques,” Shields said after implementing the no-chase policy. “I would rather err on the side of safety, even if it does mean temporarily not being as active in a space as I think we need to be.”
In late September, an 18-year-old woman and a 3-month-old were killed in Atlanta when the driver of a speeding BMW fled state troopers and slammed into the car they were riding in.
The chase began the evening of Sept. 30 when the GSP clocked Shamir Lashawn Floyd driving 120 mph on I-75, authorities said. During the chase, Floyd exited onto 10th Street in Midtown before slamming into the side of a black Nissan Altima and two other cars.
The crash killed 18-year-old Anjanae McClain, who was sitting in the back of the Nissan. Three-month-old Cayden Good, who was sitting next to her, was taken to the hospital in critical condition and died of his injuries the next day.
Police said Floyd ran away after the crash, but he was captured the following month and charged with murder.
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