A 22-year-old man faces a dozen charges after being accused of kidnapping a woman and initiating a high-speed police chase in Coweta County.
Tamarcus Jaquan Potts was arrested last Thursday, which was four days after he fled from authorities at 117 mph, according to Newnan police. A woman was in the vehicle at the time, and Potts is accused of threatening to kill them both if she tried to leave the car.
The incident began as an attempted traffic stop over a brake light violation on June 7, police said. When an officer tried to pull over Potts’ vehicle, a Ford Focus, the suspect allegedly sped away.
The chase began near Millard Farmer Road, which is a 45 mph zone. Potts is accused of hitting 90 mph while driving erratically toward Old Corinth Road. Police said he was clocked going 117 mph at one point, while still being in a 45 mph zone.
Eventually, the Focus began to smoke and slow down, coming to a stop along Old Corinth Road, police said. When officers approached the vehicle, one of them allegedly saw Potts searching around the car before jumping out and running away.
Police were not able to find Potts, but they did find a handgun hidden behind a nearby house, police said. An extended clip that belonged to the weapon was allegedly found in the vehicle along with a shattered cellphone that police said belonged to Potts.
The passenger was detained at the scene, and she gave officers Potts’ name and information, police said. The woman said he was a friend of her estranged husband.
She told police that Potts was supposed to drive her to a convenience store off Ga. 29, but he instead drove toward Old Corinth Road. When she asked what he was doing, he allegedly told her to “shut up” because “he was driving.”
When the officer attempted to pull over the vehicle, the woman said she asked to be let out of the car, but Potts refused. Instead, he threatened to kill both of them by hitting a telephone pole if she tried to leave, police said.
The woman was arrested on an unrelated warrant, and authorities did not provide any further information on her charges.
Potts was arrested at his home off Melson Street after deputies obtained the warrants for his arrest. He faces counts of aggravated assault, obstruction, kidnapping and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
In addition, he faces several traffic-related charges, jail records show. He remains in the Coweta County jail without bond.
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Credit: AJC
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