NEWNAN — A police chase Sunday night in Coweta County ended in gunfire when officers shot into a U-Haul to end the chase.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, preliminary information indicates that at about 9:21 p.m., the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call to respond to the BP truck stop at 1389 Highway 29 South in Newnan, in reference to an attempted break in of a tractor trailer. The caller reported that the individuals responsible for the attempted break in drove away in a U-Haul truck.
Shortly thereafter, a deputy located a U-Haul truck nearby at the Pilot truck stop at 1645 Highway 29 South. The deputy observed two men standing at the back of an opened tractor trailer. The deputy stopped and attempted to make contact with the men.
According to the GBI, the men then drove away in the U-Haul at a high rate of speed. Upon exiting the parking lot and onto the highway, the U-Haul hit a Mazda CX-7 head on, causing non-life-threatening injuries to two occupants who were taken to a local hospital.
The driver of the U-Haul, later identified as 45-year-old Jackie Harris traveled south on Highway 29 at a high rate of speed and reportedly caused cars to run off the road. According to officers, Harris also swerved towards patrol vehicles, attempting to run officers off the road. Upon reaching exit 35 at I-85, Harris traveled northbound and continued to swerve towards patrol vehicles.
Deputies deployed multiple stop sticks in an attempt to stop the U-Haul. At exit 47, a deputy fired multiple gunshots from his patrol vehicle into the U-Haul, striking Harris multiple times. The U-Haul struck the interstate wall and stopped.
Harris was given medical treatment at the scene and was taken to Atlanta Medical Center, where he is being treated. The passenger in the U-Haul, 42-year-old Mario Keen was taken to Piedmont Newnan Hospital for treatment and then taken to the Coweta County jail.
There were no officers injured during this incident.
The GBI will conduct an independent investigation. Once the investigation is completed, the case file will be turned over to the Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s office for review.
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