LOWNDES COUNTY, GA – A high speed chase ended yesterday morning at the Lowndes/Brooks County Line.

Wednesday morning, around 6:45 a deputy with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office Interstate Criminal Enforcement unit observed a Nissan Altima following too closely to another vehicle. The deputy attempted to perform a traffic stop, but the driver fled and exited the interstate at exit 16. The driver continued to flee west on U.S. Highway 84 and entered neighborhoods and made several U turns in an attempt to lose the deputy.

While fleeing, the driver tossed items out the window along the roadside. The chase continued, at speeds around 100 miles per hour, until they reached the Quitman city limits where the driver again turned around. The driver eventually stopped near the Lowndes/Brooks County line but while deputies were trying to get the driver to exit the vehicle he began driving forward toward deputies.

The driver was quickly removed from the vehicle and arrested and no one was injured.

Tellas Barnum was taken to the Lowndes County Jail and charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, fleeing and attempting to elude, following too close, speeding, and reckless driving. During a search of the vehicle, deputies recovered an unknown substance which the deputies are testing. They also located a set of digital scales and packaging materials. Deputies have continued to search the roadside to recover any contraband tossed from the vehicle.

Sheriff Prine praised the work of the all the deputies involved for ending this without anyone being hurt and that of the Interstate Criminal Enforcement Unit for their work in recognizing the unsafe driving of Tellas Barnum and his eventual arrest.

Source: Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office