Richie Don Cook
A LaFayette, Ga., man is facing multiple charges after leading police on a dangerous chase on Monday night.
Richie Don Cook, 42, of 285 Cook Hollow Road, LaFayette, was finally apprehended after crashing and then running into nearby woods.
A Hamilton County deputy initially observed a dark sedan traveling on Mountain Creek Road and discovered the license plate was registered to a completely different vehicle (a gold 2006 Accord) than the black 1994 Accord it was displayed on. The deputy then turned on his blue lights and attempted to initiate a traffic stop.
The vehicle accelerated away and then did a u-turn in the middle of the road. The deputy said the u-turn caused the suspect’s vehicle to almost hit the patrol vehicle head-on.
The Accord drove down Signal Mountain Boulevard and Signal Mountain Road at a high rate of speed, while drifting in and out of the wrong lane several times. The driver, observed to be a white male in a hat and black T-shirt, threw a black bag out of the vehicle. Authorities later recovered the bag and found three-fourths of a pound of marijuana inside.
After driving to the base of the W Road and then driving back down Mountain Creek Road, authorities said the suspect’s vehicle rammed through the Signal View Apartments’ closed gates as the car made its way through the parking lot, and then back to Mountain Creek Road.
The suspect drove onto Highway 27 southbound and discarded another bag later found to have narcotics. The chase continued into Dade County, Ga., where the suspect crashed his vehicle into a guard rail.
Authorities said the driver, Cook, ignored commands to stop and ran into the woods. He was later found with a Dade County Sheriff’s Office K-9, and was taken into custody.
Cook is facing 12 different charges, including aggravated assault, reckless driving, evading arrest, criminal littering, vandalism, speeding, and tampering with evidence.