Charges and names have been released for the occupants of a vehicle which crashed fleeing East Ellijay officers.
East Ellijay Police Chief Larry Callahan said his department received a call from Walmart about a possible shoplifting incident Sept. 23.
Suspects had left the scene by the time police arrived.
East Ellijay officers got behind the vehicle carrying the suspects on Hwy. 515 heading north. Officers activated blue lights and attempted to stop the vehicle, which fled north, Callahan said.
“Per our policy, the officer terminated pursuit,” he said. “Our policy doesn’t allow pursuit for misdemeanors, only felonies.”
The driver of the fleeing vehicle lost control, over corrected and steered across the median. His 2011 Ford Focus hit the guardrail and then an oncoming vehicle.
The three passengers in the fleeing vehicle had serious injuries, according to a statement from the Georgia State Patrol.
Michael White, 29, of Mineral Bluff, has been identified as the driver of the vehicle, said Callahan.
White will be charged with outstanding warrants from three prior shoplifting incidents at Walmart, in addition to fleeing and attempting to elude officers, reckless driving, driving on the wrong side of the highway, speeding, failure to maintain a proper lane, obstruction of an officer and criminal damage to government property.
A passenger in the vehicle, Jessica Barnes, 31, of Copperhill, Tenn., will be charged with shoplifting, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm during commission of a crime.
A third occupant of the vehicle, Blake Jones, 56, of Blue Ridge, died of injuries sustained in the crash.
Possible charges dealing with the death of Jones in the crash are still pending, according to Callahan. These would be brought by the Georgia State Patrol Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team.
Both occupants of the vehicle struck by the fleeing car received minor injuries, according to the GSP.