BUTTS COUNTY, Ga. — A high-speed police chase on Georgia 87 ended tragically Saturday night.
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According to the Georgia State Patrol, around 7:12 p.m., a trooper spotted Michael Gonzales, 33, of Forsyth, Ga., driving a gray Dodge Durango at 100 miles per hour in a 55 MPH zone near mile marker 3 on GA-87.
Troopers said that despite attempts to stop the vehicle, Gonzales refused to pull over, leading to a chase that involved running multiple stop signs in Flovilla, Ga.
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GSP said during the chase, Gonzales made several turns and, at one point, exited the roadway at the intersection of WF Smith Road and Higgins Road, hitting a street sign before driving away.
The chase eventually returned to GA-87 south, where the trooper tried several times to perform a PIT maneuver, but Gonzales swerved to avoid it, officials said.
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Authorities said the chase ended between mile markers 2 and 3 when Gonzales tried to enter the northbound lane from the southbound lane, resulting in a PIT maneuver that caused the Durango to exit the roadway and hit a tree.
According to GSP, Gonzales was ejected from the vehicle and died on the scene.
The crash remains under investigation.
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