Suspect charged after failing to stop at road check

ALBANY — Albany police said they arrested a man in East Albany Thursday when he endangered the life of at least one officer by failing to follow stop orders at a routine road check.

Police officials say officers from several city and county agencies were conducting the road check at East Oglethorpe Boulevard and Cason Street with the Southwest Traffic Enforcement Network when around 9:40 p.m. Cleveland J. Hayes, 37, approached the checkpoint while headed east on Oglethorpe.

Hayes turned right onto Cason Street and slowed as he passed a Dougherty County EMS unit, police officials say, but Patrolman Jeffery Mitchell with the Albany Police Department, who was standing in the middle of the roadway, gave verbal commands for Hayes to stop his vehicle.

Instead of stopping, officials say Hayes accelerated and continued south, passing Mitchell and several other officers. Albany police spokeswoman Phyllis Banks said officers of the Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit and the Dougherty County Police Department were able to follow Hayes, who was apprehended by the ADDU inside Oakview Estates at 1209 Moultrie Road and taken into custody.

Hayes is charged with aggravated assault against a peace officer, failure to obey authorized person directing traffic, attempt to elude police officers, reckless driving, reckless conduct, driving on revoked or suspended license, failure to maintain lane and speeding.

According to Dougherty County jail officials, no bond has been set for Hayes’ release.