Chase of stolen car from Terrell County ends in Albany

ALBANY — A Wednesday-morning chase of a suspect in a stolen car that started in Terrell County ended in Albany when a state trooper forced the car off the roadway and pinned it against a tree.

The driver of the stolen Nissan Kick caused an accident at Dawson Road and Pointe North Boulevard before the officer initiated a “PIT maneuver” to end the pursuit, Sgt. Russ Covington of Georgia State Patrol Post 40 in Albany said.

“He got out and ran, and we were able to chase him down and tackle him a short distance away” from the location on Pointe North, Covington said.

The driver was identified as Carlton Gillis. The 36-year-old was transported to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, where he was treated and released from medical care, a hospital spokesman said.

Officers found drug paraphernalia and guns, which police suspect also were stolen, inside the car, Covington said. The case was still under investigation on Wednesday afternoon. The Terrell County Sheriff’s Office will file charges in the case.

Gillis was alone by the time he was stopped but reportedly had a passenger in the car before the GSP joined the pursuit on U.S. Highway 82 that traveled through Terrell and Lee counties on U.S. 82.

“He stopped at some point and let out a female,” Covington said.

No one was injured in the accident that occurred prior to the GSP putting a halt to the chase, he said.

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