Teresa Williams
THOMASVILLE — A high-speed chase in Grady County Monday resulted in an injured deputy and an arrest, officials said.
Higinio Garcia, 22, was taken into custody after a high-speed chase involving law enforcement, Sheriff Harry Young said Tuesday. Garcia’s one-year-old son was also in the vehicle during the chase.
“There was a Hispanic male in the front seat and he was not strapped in,” the sheriff said. “It is a miracle the child was not killed. We had no idea because we couldn’t see him during the chase. As Garcia was being arrested, he was hollering, ‘Baby in car! Baby in car!’”
The pursuit began on Ga. 111 South near Calvary around 5 p.m. and ended at Garcia’s residence, 34 Fourth Avenue NW, Cairo, at 5:18 p.m. Grady County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a motorist, Paul Jernigan, of Havana, Fla., who spotted Garcia’s vehicle swerving through traffic.
“He said Garcia was running all over the road, running vehicles off the road and almost hitting them head-on,” Young said. “Someone could have been killed. He pulled off the road and Mr. Jernigan pulled behind him so he could try to get his keys, but Garcia sped off at a high rate of speed. Mr. Jernigan followed and called authorities with the mile marker information.”
Investigator Daniel Singletary said Cpl. Kelvin Nixon and Deputy Jake Bush responded to the call, intercepting the vehicle on Ga. 111 near Wight Nurseries. They attempted a traffic stop, but Garcia fled.
“He was traveling at a high rate of speed and driving very recklessly,” Singletary said. “He was heading into town. I think it was the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Martin Luther King Boulevard where Kelvin Nixon got in front of him to try to slow him down. He was trying to clear the intersection, but Garcia rammed him from behind and pushed him through it.”
Young said, had Nixon not tried to clear the intersection, someone could have been seriously hurt. Nixon did suffer some back injuries from the impact, but is expected to return to work Friday.
Garcia continued to flee until he pulled into the Fourth Avenue NW residence, where he was apprehended and taken into custody, Singletary said.
Grady County Department of Family and Children Services was called to pick-up the baby. Young said a family member did show up to claim him, but, as of Tuesday afternoon, he was not sure if the child had been allowed to go home.
This is the first time Garcia has been arrested by Grady County, Young said.
Georgia State Patrol, Cairo Police Department and Whigham Police Department assisted Grady County in the chase.
GSP took charge of the accident, Young said, because Garcia “hit one of our vehicles.” It is charging Garcia with driving under the influence, endangerment of a child under 14, failure to drive within single lane, driving without license, and open container.
Garcia is currently booked at the Grady County Jail on these charges.
Young expected Bush to take warrants out for Grady County today. These charges are aggravated assault on an officer, felony fleeing and interference with government property. Other charges may be pending.
“He will not be bonded out before the warrants are taken out,” Young said Tuesday. “Then, he’ll go before the magistrate judge to see if he will be granted bond. That could happen tomorrow.”
