THOMASVILLE — An incident that began at a Brooks County business early Tuesday morning ended in Thomasville when the vehicle the suspect, a Mitchell County fugitive, was driving crashed.

At 7:45 a.m., the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office notified the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office about a chase as it reached Boston.

Brooks authorities were called when an incident took place at a local business, and the suspect involved left the site.

“He was described as a suicidal person. They went after him, and he jumped in a car and fled,” said Capt. Steven Jones, Thomas County Sheriff’s Office public information officer. “He reached dangerous speed levels.”

As the speeding Honda Accord fled through Boston, sheriff’s office deputies blocked U.S. 84 intersections. Traffic was halted.

Jones said the car driven by Marquise Church, 23, Camilla, came though 84’s intersection with Dogwood Drive, went around a stopped vehicle, knocked down several traffic signs, lost control and came to rest on a grassed embankment on the north side of the overpass over U.S. 19.

Church was taken into custody and transported to Archbold Memorial Hospital for assessment. After being released from the hospital’s care, Church remained at Archbold awaiting transfer to Mitchell County, where he is wanted on felony warrants for burglary and theft by taking.

Church is charged with fleeing and attempting to elude in Thomas and Brooks counties.

A Thomasville Post 12 Georgia State Patrol trooper responded to the scene to make a crash report. 

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820