GSP: Trooper shoots at suspect vehicle after it tries to hit him

[Confederate Kahanist]

http://savannahnow.com/latest-news/2010-11-30/gsp-trooper-shots-suspect-vehicle-after-it-tries-hit-him

A man was arrested early Monday morning after he allegedly tried to run over a trooper who later fired his gun at him, Georgia State Patrol officials said Tuesday.

GSP Nighthawk DUI Task Force troopers were monitoring speed on Interstate 16 at 12:10 a.m. when they spotted a vehicle allegedly driven by 23-year-old Raymond Davis Jr. that appeared to be speeding. A trooper tried to pull the vehicle over but it continued onto northbound Interstate 516 and then Augusta Avenue, said GSP Cpl. Robert Balkcom, Nighthawk supervisor.

Davis allegedly drove to the West Savannah neighborhood and led the trooper on a chase along several crowded neighborhood streets. The trooper briefly lost sight of Davis’ vehicle, but later spotted it parallel parked with its lights turned off and the engine running. The trooper used his cruiser to block in the idling vehicle and got out predicting that Davis would take off on foot, Balkcom said.

Davis then allegedly drove his car onto a curb and pointed it toward the trooper.

“He feared for his life,” Balkcom said of the trooper. “He ordered him to stop and then fired three rounds.
“Luckily they all missed him.”

All three rounds struck Davis’ vehicle, one of them striking the driver’s seat, Balkcom said.

Balkcom said he joined in the pursuit and blocked Davis’ vehicle at a dead end on Baker Street. Hearing the report of shots being fired during the chase, a Savannah-Chatham police officer rushed to the scene and helped Balkcom bring Davis into custody. Metro police forensics technicians also were called to the scene to assist in the investigation.

Davis later told troopers he didn’t want to stop because his license was suspended, he said.

As of Tuesday night, Davis remained at the Chatham County jail on charges of speeding, fleeing to elude a police officer, failure to maintain lane, failure to stop at a stop sign, aggravated assault and driving with a suspended or revoked license.